Memories Lost & Found
by Lady Kagewaki
Summary: Mugen, Jin, and Fuu run into a girl from Jin's early childhood. She always had great affection for him, but he had nothing but distain for her. How do they reconcile their strange relationship? I do not own Samurai Champloo or anything related to it.
1. Chapter 1

Special thanks to **listersgirl **who was an invaluable help to me while writing this impossible fic!

* * *

Mugen, Jin, and Fuu once again found themselves traveling between cities, hungry, and poor. Young 16 year old Fuu gripped her stomach and moaned. "I need something in my stomach! ANYTHING!"

Mugen, the crude criminal, snapped "How many times do I gotta tell you? Drink some damn fucking river water!"

Jin, the stoic and reticent ronin samurai told them "There is no river, here" then walked past the two to the front of the line.

Fuu groaned in response, Mugen scratched his unkept head of hair and said "No?" and tried to cover his ignorance. They continued their trudging out of the wood and came upon a restaurant inn.

Fuu peeped "Do you think they'll give us water?"

"It is worth a try" said Jin.

They bowed into the entrance and took a few stools at a table. A waitress was soon there to take their order. Jin sat, straight backed while Mugen leaned forward on his elbows and Fuu fidgeted in her place. Soon Mugen's weary forehead was rudely placed on the table.

Jin could smell the food cooking in the kitchen behind him. He said right up front to the charming waitress "We have no money."

He didn't look up at her, but rather across form him to Mugen and Fuu. The waitress scowled and Fuu jumped in with "We only need some water. There isn't a river on this road and we're just looking for some water to fill our stomachs. Pleeeeeeeeeeease?"

Mugen, head still on the table, groaned. The face of the waitress softened and she said "Our water is precious because there isn't a river nearby." Jin's stomach gurgled loudly enough for all to hear it, but he didn't flinch. He just kept his gaze straight ahead.

Fuu noticed a strange look come over the waitress's face. It was a fascination with Jin. When the waitress left for the kitchen Fuu said "I wonder what that was all about."

Jin asked her, totally oblivious to the waitress's stare, "What is _what_ all about?"

"That waitress, she was…looking at you!" Jin said nothing, but merely rose an eyebrow. Fuu continued "Not like in a romantic way, but like in a funny way."

Jin dropped the eyebrow, grimaced, and said skeptically "Funny way?

Mugen picked up his head once again and said "Ignore her, she's just a crazy girl."

Fuu crossed her arms and sat back warning "She's up to something". Fuu looked back towards the kitchen and saw some people shuffling about. Fuu squinted her eyes with suspicion and slouched in her seat. An old man and an elderly woman from the kitchen looked at their table.

Fuu remembered her job as a waitress and the fire resulting in the quest with these two men. Jin and Mugen fought daily, but were drawing their swords less frequently these days. Fuu, of the samurai class herself, had been impressed by the handsome subdued Jin, his wire rim glasses and his traditional expertise with the sword. Mugen, on the other hand, was a filthy criminal bastard.

Fuu was wary of Mugen, but was coming to trust him more. His background was shady, but his fighting style was magnificent. It was unlike anything Fuu had seen before. It was not in any way traditional but he was just as effective as Jin. Hence the constant fighting between the two men. They were always trying to prove who was better. The soles of Mugen's geta were lined with metal and he used them often to block blows from his enemies.

Fuu wondered if he would be using them today as she watched some kind of commotion take over in the kitchen. "I think we should leave" said Jin succinctly. He heard whispering and felt a tension in the air. Just as Jin began to rise the waitress returned with the water. She smiled broadly at Jin while he took his seat. Jin's face betrayed no emotion as he seated himself.

Mugen allowed the confusion to be read on his unshaven face. It faded as he loudly gulped down his cup of water. The waitress then placed a large pitcher on the table. She cocked her head and tried to catch Jin's eye. He slowly brought the cup to his finely shaped lips and said "Thank you."

"Your welcome, sir" she said with a big smile. Mugen grabbed the pitcher and sloppily spilled more water into his cup.

After the waitress left Jin again said "We should leave. Now."

Fuu said "No! Why? Look!" She grabbed pitcher form Mugen "All the water we need! I thought maybe she'd come back and say no, that's why I was suspicious, but look!" She held up the pitcher and Mugen wrestled it away from her.

"I don't' like this" said Jin, stone faced as always.

"Mugen slammed his cup down and said "Typical. Free water and a woman who's taken a liking to you and all of a sudden we gotta go? Why?"

"I think I know her, but I can't place her face" said the samurai.

The other two didn't have a chance to question him or complain any further. The waitress returned with three plates full of food. Crab and vegetables for all three of them. She placed the three plates down in front of the travelers and said "Enjoy." She smiled at Jin again, who turned his face away.

Jin said "We have no money."

Fuu and Mugen had already dug into their plates. Fuu enjoyed the beans and rolled her eyes with delight whenever she popped them into her mouth. Mugen was negotiating a full crab leg, by chewing on the outer shell. They both froze when Jin said to the waitress "If I eat this I will be indebted to you."

"Please, eat" said the waitress. Mugen and Fuu continued to stuff their faces. The waitress said "It is I who am indebted to you. Please. Eat Jin-chan. You look thin."

Jin allowed his eyes to dart up and meet those of the waitress. She was of uncommon beauty. Her blue black hair was pulled up and back, and her soft brown eyes warmly gazed down on him. Her cherry lips expanded into a coy smile and her skin was like porcelain. Her smile faded when she noticed a blank stare of non-recognition settled deeply into Jin's eyes.

She said "Do you not recognize me, Jin-chan?" He only blinked in response.

Fuu nearly choked upon hearing anyone call him Jin-_chan_. Mugen said "I don't care who you are lady" he crunched through the crab leg with his bare teeth "This food armf armf is great crunch crunch. Hey Jin, are you going to eat or what? If not…" Mugen reached across the table to grab at Jin's food. The waitress smacked his tattooed wrist and Mugen's hand retreated to it's own plate. She noted the two blue stripes on Mugen's wrists and ankles, and identified them with the markings of an imprisoned criminal.

Thoughts of what possible dark crime he had committed crossed her mind until they were interrupted by the old man in the kitchen calling her name. "Shiroko! Shiroko!" he called. "We have other customers!" he said jokingly.

Shiroko gave a quick bow to her nonpaying customers and said "Yes sir!" She smiled and ran off.

Fuu caught a moment of recognition running across Jin's face when he heard her name. Fuu swallowed a large mouth full and asked him "So do you know her or not?"

With a tinge of exasperation Jin said "Yes."

"Who's Armf armf garmfle the broad?" asked Mugen cramming more rice into an already full mouth. "She's argmf argmf got nice tits."

Fuu huffed and said "Is that all you guys think about? Hooters! It's always about boobs with you guys!"

Jin ignored Fuu's complaints and said "She was a girl from my youth."

Mugen teased "She's a hot woman, you should try and hit that. She likes you. If you don't I sure as hell will."

Fuu couldn't believe her ears. "I can't believe you guys, what if she hears you! What if I hear any more! I'm a lady you should have more respect!"

Jin, again ignoring Fuu, only responded with a grunt. As Shiroko attended other customers Fuu persuaded Jin to eat his meal. Shiroko cleaned up after them while the sun began to set. The orange glow pierced through the door and reflected off Jin's glasses. The three rose to leave, but Shiroko stopped them. "It's getting late, my friends" she said "Soon the sun will set. Tell me, do you have far to go?"

"We're headed into the city" responded Jin curtly.

Shiroko said "You won't make it by sundown, nor daylight even if you walked all night. I can arrange for you to have a room for tonight." The three looked at each other, Jin's face reflected a stern rejection of the idea, but he said nothing. Mugen said "Sure lady, why not?"


	2. Chapter 2

Fuu decided to stay in the same room with both Mugen and Jin. As they checked out the bare room upstairs Mugen began to question Jin about Shiroko. "So was she like hot when you were young? Was she like your little girlfriend or something?" he asked as he lay down on the futon that was prepared for him. Mugen's limbs stretched out and Fuu gave him a dirty look for continuing to interrogate Jin.

"Mugen!" said Fuu. "don't be so…so…don't question him like that!"

"She was not" said Jin. "She was my father's comrade's daughter. She had a crush on me, but I did not return the affection."

"Why not? She's a babe!" said Mugen as he rested his head back on his arms.

Fuu said "She seems awfully nice."

"Hm…but…" said Jin.

"But what?" asked Mugen looking up at the other man.

"She was…"

Fuu and Mugen leaned fin closer "What?" they asked in unison.

Jin closed his eyes in an attempt not to roll them "Round".

"Fat?" said Fuu. "Aren't kids kind of rolly polly sometimes?"

"No, not like this…" said Jin trying desperately to find a way to get out of this conversation. "Really round."

Mugen laughed "Ha haa! You mean really FAT! Hahaa! Tell us," he said sitting up. "How fat was she?" he grinned.

Jin answered "Really fat" not as amused by this as Mugen.

"Like what kind of fat?" asked Fuu, morbidly curious.

Jin sighed and said "She looked swollen all over like she had just been stung by a swarm of bees." Fuu tried to stifle her laughter, but it was no use. She soon joined Mugen in unbridled laughter. Jin continued. "Yukimaru, her brother, and I called her Piggy." Another wave of laughter louder than the first came over Fuu and Mugen. Jin said with a straight face "I was only a child, yet accomplished with origami. I used to maker her pigs and leave them outside her door."

Fuu's laughter began to subside "Oh hoo hoo, but that's so cruel! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The corners of Jin's mouth perked upwards ever so slightly "No, _looking_ at her was _cruel_. Don't worry, her feelings were not hurt because she wasn't bright enough to realize they were insults. She took them as signs of affection."

Mugen gasped between his wheezing laughter "Please….I….I…I can't take….anymore! HAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"

"It wasn't funny. Yukimaru and I would spar often in a field near his home. One time I lost a match and thus a bet. I had to escort her to a Sakura festival due to my loss and it spurred me to never lose again."

Fuu had reduced her laughter to giggles at this point, but still pictured a fat little girl holding a origami pig.

Mugen regained some breath and clacked his metal geta on the floor. Jin continued "In truth there was nothing redeemable about her. She was a spoiled brat who dreamed impossible dreams. I would never become Piggy's lover."

As Mugen heard Shiroko's childhood nick name again a renewed attack of laughter seized his lungs. Fuu didn't want to, but soon found her self giggling uncontrollably at the same thing. "Piggy!" said Fuu with a high pitched squeal. She leaned over forward, her stomach now hurting from all the laughter. Mugen lay on his back occasionally stomping his foot.

Jin continued. "Yes, Piggy. Yukimaru and I would make a game of guess how many sweet buns she could cram in her mouth at one sitting." The corners of Jin's mouth raised slightly upwards. "She always exceeded our expectations and **earned** that nick name fairly."

Fuu sat up again and gasped. Mugen slowed his laughter and looked up "Eh?"

Shiroko solemnly entered the room. She had three extra blankets in her arms. "I…I have brought extra blankest." Her eyes were cast strictly on the floor as she explained "There is a crack in the wall here" she pointed "so I suggest not sleeping near that wall. Also if it rains that corner has a leak in the roof. Jin, you may want to move your swords. I will be in the next room over staying with the owner and his wife if you need anything."

Fu said "Uuuummm…" trying t find something appropriate to say, but Shiroko quickly got up and walked out of the room.

Shiroko said over her shoulder "I will leave the door cracked open if you require anything during the night.

Jin turned his head to look at her, but she left before he could see her. Fuu fidgeted and said to Jin "Maybe you should go apologize. I know I'd like one if I heard people laughing about me."

Mugen shifted and Jin's eyes slid towards the ruffian. "Yeah" griped Mugen "you should. We don't want to miss breakfast." Mugen scratched his crotch let out a few more blips of laughter and rolled onto his side.

Jin lowered his head for about a minute. Fuu watched him carefully and she furrowed her own brow thinking about the situation. Jin nodded once to himself then got up and left.

Jin closed the screen behind him and took one step towards the next room, then stopped. Their light was already out, but he saw Shiroko. The moonlight came in their window and shown down on her form.

Jin felt impolite coming to her at this time of night, but his companions would travel better with full stomachs the next day and he would not have to listen to them complain.

He took a look at her forearm, resting beneath her head. 'Was her skin always that fair?' He curled his fingers around the screen's frame and whispered her name. "Shiroko?"

Shiroko was not asleep and looked up at him. 'He doesn't think he'll get breakfast after humiliating me in front of his friends.' Shiroko sat up and soundlessly walked to the door.

Jin stood back and she closed the screen behind her. "What do you need? Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Then what? I have to wake up early"

"I came to apologize" he said frankly.

"No need, you and your companions will have your breakfast tomorrow" said Shiroko, irritated.

"I don't want any" Jin's stomach growled loud enough for her to hear. His eyes shifted to the side then back to her.

She stepped back towards the room, but Jin caught her wrist. She turned a cold angry pair of eyes on his calm visage. His blank gaze startled her. "Tell me" he said "how you landed here. Your family was a powerful one I would have assumed your marriage was arranged. What happened."

She looked at him, a tad unbelieving. "I was never married. I would have been if …" she said, looking at the floor. She leaned her forehead gently on the door frame and closed her eyes. Jin let go of her wrist and watch it hang limply at her side. She continued "My father was not a wealthy man and couldn't support us all." Shiroko never spoke of the events that sent her away from home before. This was the first time since it happened that she spoke of it at all. "I was sent away."

Jin stepped closer to her, curious about her story. He found he didn't know this woman, who had grown out of the girl he once knew so well. 'How different is she from the girl I had known?'

Shiroko whispered. "I was the right choice. Mariko was to be married soon anyway, but he still needed to support Yukimaru at the dojo with you. I was… sold to a…to…a brothel."

"When?" he asked trying to align family's events with his own passage of time.

"I was young. I think twelve."

"It is an all too common story." Jin didn't like the Shiroko he had known, and surely didn't understand the woman before him. He was uneasy with her, but it did not diminish his sympathy for her. He wanted news on her family, especially her older sister. He already knew what became of Yukimaru.

She told Jin "A long term patron helped me escape, but was killed in the process. He was a nice fellow, but I didn't care. He was a patron after all and I wouldn't have cared if any of them got stabbed to death like that."

Jin was not the type to gasp, but when Shiroko noted his silence and she knew she had surprised him. She turned and looked into his sober eyes and said "I'm sorry…that was…" she turned her gaze to a scroll on the wall. "Well, I ran away and found myself on the very road you used to get here. I must have passed out from hunger. When I came to the owner's wife explained she found me on the road.

Jin was patient, not expecting this deluge of information. Her face was sad and her eyes defeated. She said "While I was at the brothel I would retreat into my memories. I would think of the field of wild flowers you and Yukimaru used to spar in. When the nights became particularly unbearable I would bring the Sakura festival to mind."

"I'm sorry I—" 'What can I say?'

Shiroko lifted her eyes to meet Jin's and whispered calmly "No, I'm glad you cleared up the confusion. I would have gone through the rest of my days having put my hopes in false memories so it is better this way."

He opened his mouth to respond, but realized he could not be the man in which she could have faith. He had killed her brother, after all. He quickly said "But I am only one man."

"Yes, only one man. You've grown up quite a bit, but you still have that child in you, Jin. I can see it." Shiroko was not visibly upset. She kept her voice even not belying her feelings.

"Shiroko, you've grown as well." 'She looks a lot like Mariko. Though I want to know about Mariko, now is not the time to ask.'

"Please, do not tell anyone about my past, Jin. That part of my life is my most terrible secret." He nodded and she then closed the door between them.

Jin stood in the dark thinking about what his words to his traveling companions must have done to Shiroko. 'In her darkest moments she thought of me? Was her crush that strong? I've shattered the few warm memories she had.'

He thought back to sparring in the field with Yukimaru. He could see his childhood through a gauzy curtain of sunlight. He could hear the clack of their wooden swords. He heard a girl giggling. He turned and saw Piggy, dressed in a green kimono decorated with white chrysanthemums. She crouched her chubby form behind tall wild flowers. Her blue black hair stuck out in thick buns and was dotted by the tiny yellow flowers surrounding her.

Jin wiped his nose with his scrawny arm and remembered hearing Yukimaru say "Ignore my sister, Jin, she's just being dumb."

Little Shiroko lifted her chubby cheeks over the flowers and sternly said "I'm not dumb!"

Jin cringed and backed up at the sight of her. "Yeah you are" said Yukimaru. He followed up with "and you're fat too!" Jin recalled how funny he thought it was. He had laughed and went back to sparring with Yukimaru.

He also remembered Shiroko's eyes getting a glassy look, but her tears never fell.

Soon Yukimaru's older sister, Mariko came to collect the little girl. Their sister was a truly gorgeous young lady. "Shiroko! Shiroko!" her voice was like a bell on the wind. Jin thought about how similar Shiroko and her sister looked now that Shiroko was a grown woman.

* * *

Back in the present Jin opened up the screen to his own room and saw Mugen and Fuu sitting next to a lamp. They had their backs to him, but looked up at him when he entered. 

Fuu said "Mugen found something." As Jin walked closer he saw a small wooden box. she said "Mugen stomped on the floor and this board popped up!" Jin raised an eyebrow and gave a questioning look to Mugen.

Mugen responded to the look with "I dunno, I was asleep." He looked back at his booty and said "It's not important, point is that we might find something we can sell." Jin kneeled down next to his companions and looked on. "Hey heeeeey. Lookie here" Mugen said as he picked up a jade necklace.

Jin said "Put it back. It's not yours."

Jin's mind returned to the field of wild flowers. He remembered Shiroko's sister, Mariko, coming to get her. Yukimaru whacked Jin's arm hard as he gawked at Mariko's beauty. Jin dropped his sword in the grass near the pair of sisters. They were arguing.

"You must stop wasting your time spying on your brother and his loser friend Shiroko! Mother then wastes my time with making me come find you! I could be combing my hair right now!"

Jin scampered over to pick up the sword wiping his nose again. He bowed to the ladies and remembered being impressed by Mariko's necklace. The same one that Mugen was holding now.

Mugen brought him back to the present with the words "What's up yer ass? Do you know how much Tempura this could buy us?"

"No" said Jin smartly "Do you?"

Mugen's bottom lip tightened and he snapped "No. Not exactly. But I bet a whole lot!"

Fuu reached down into the box and picked up a folded piece of paper. Jin snatched it from her hand with amazing speed. Fuu was left staring at her own empty palm. "huh?"

She watched Jin examine the paper. "These are Shiroko's belongings" he said. "We should leave them where they are. I know for a fact they're precious to her."

Mugen wrapped his filthy hands around the precious stone necklace in his hand. Jin saw the movement and said "I mean it Mugen. Put it back where you found it."

Mugen was too tired for a real fight so he grunted and acquiesced to Jin's demand. Mugen dropped the necklace back in the box and said "So what's that paper thing? Origami or something?"

Jin looked at it unblinking. He remembered making it. The colors of the paper and ink had faded, but Jin recognized it none the less. It was a butterfly he had made for Mariko.

He had only been a child, and she a young woman, but he still wanted to express himself to her. She had giggled at his gift and made him blush.

As Jin dreamily thumbed the butterfly Mugen picked out an origami pig form the box. "Oink Oink! AH HAA" said Mugen shaking the paper swine at Fuu.

"Stop it moron!" she said and slapped his hand away.

Mugen turned to Jin and said "So it _is_ her stuff…oink oink, heh. Man you were wrong. She must have been in love not just crushing on you to keep this shit. Damn."

Jin tried to casually flick the butterfly back into the box, but Fuu saw right through the act. During their travels she had begun to learn to read Jin's eyes since he never spoke with is voice. She decided not to pursue the questions she had for Jin at that time, and tucked them away in the back of her mind. "Okay guys" she said "Time for more sleep."

Mugen was already snoring and Jin was sitting himself against the wall. He thought of Mariko and how pretty she was, but his mind kept wandering to Shiroko and how much she had grown and how beautiful she had become. Or was it he was just simply glad to see her?


	3. Chapter 3

A few hours later the three travelers again were getting their fill of food. Jin ate without reservation knowing he would not be eating for quite some time. He also did not want the gift of food to go unappreciated. They were now in debt to each other.

Shiroko had served them again, but without smiles and without speaking. She attended the other customers without needing any prompt from the owner and his wife.

A large man, of questionable hygiene entered with two men wearing swords. He wore a brown kimono around his pungent body. His two companions found him a seat and Shiroko came to take their orders.

The shorter of the two men with swords made a tasteless remark, and she ignored it. She turned to the smelly corpulent man who said "Well, Shiroko, I think you may want to answer my friend here."

"No, thank you. Your order?" she asked.

The man who had made the remark then reached out and grabbed her behind. He soon found the back of her hand landed firmly on his cheek. The slap was a loud crack that caught the attention of the only other patrons in the establishment: Mugen, Jin, and Fuu. The owner and his wife kept themselves busy in the kitchen.

The fat man roared with laughter. Mugen and Jin exchanged a look. Mugen said "We've gotta protect our food source, eh Jin."

"Absolutely" responded his smooth samurai companion. They stood from their seats prepared for a confrontation.

Fuu frowned and sighed "You men and your pride! Why can't you just say you're helping because you like her?"

Mugen and Jin glanced at Fuu with irritation, then back at the fat smelly man.

The man who had been slapped started towards Shiroko saying "Why you—" Before he got out of his seat Shiroko slipped a small knife out of her sleeve and nailed one of his hands to the table.

"AAAAAAAAH!" screamed the man as he wriggled his body in surprise and pain. "My HAAAAND! AAAAH!"

Mugen and Jin slowly sat back down at the table. Mugen said, slightly disbelieving, "You said she was a fat kid, not a psycho-bitch."

"I was unprepared for that as well" Jin said, not giving away any of the mixed feelings swirling inside of him. The trio continued to eat slower than before and occasionally allowed their eyes to dart across the room.

The man in brown ordered his food, laughing, while his friend spilled blood on the table and floor. When Shiroko returned to the kitchen the rank fat man said to his bleeding companion "That Shiroko is some spit-fire, isn't she? Hahahaha. Though you wouldn't know this, it being your first visit. HAhahaha!"

The other of the fat man's companions tried to pull the knife from his friend's hand, but it was solidly stuck in the table. Every time he pulled on it the other man would scream "AAAAAAAAAH! WHAT'RE YOU—AH! IT HURTS!"

"Shit! It's stuck!" said the other man.

The stabbed man kept screaming "I'M BLEEDING! I'M BLEEEEEDING! HELP MEEEE!"

Mugen had had enough of it and got up and walked across the room. Wordlessly he yanked the knife out and dropped it on the table. The fat man said "Awwwww. I was enjoying that spectacle!"

"Yea, well it was interrupting my meal" said Mugen and he went back to stuffing his face at his own table.

The man who had been stabbed was insulted by Mugen's flippant and disrespectful attitude. He said "You think what that crazy whore did was funny, stranger?" He screamed his question while his bleeding hand dripped the floor. The injured man wasn't about to attack his large friend who apparently held authority over him. He decided to focus his anger at Mugen instead.

"No" said Mugen, rice falling from his mouth. "It's annoying and interrupting my meal."

The man charged Mugen and yelled "I'll interrupt your meal—argh!" Mugen didn't bother drawing, or standing either. He simply took off his shoe and chucked it at the guy. The shoe hit his opponent squarely in the forehead knocking him out cold.

Shiroko returned with the trays of food for her three other paying customers. She never once looked at Mugen, Fuu, or Jin.

The fat man spoke quietly to Shiroko for a moment. A sly grin spread across her face and a sneer crept up on hers. As she walked away from the table she yelled over her shoulder "In your dreams Kakimoto! Now eat your damn crab."

Kakimoto laughed and called out "Yes, I will, my future wife!"

Shiroko turned around and gave Kakimoto a look that could burn the hair of a cat's back. He only laughed more.

The conscious friend of Kakimoto's sat at the table and said "Hey, are you really taking her as your wife?"

The fat man said "She says no now, but I know she's lonely and hates to be a burden to the old couple. She'll come around. She's got nothing else."

The three travelers overheard this, and Fuu was the only one who stopped eating.

Jin, without taking his eyes off his food, said "She is not our concern." He looked up at Fuu and said "We don't need another mouth to feed or person to protect."

Fuu balled up her fists and shook with anger. She pointed at Jin and said "You like her! Don't deny it!" He just ignored her and swallowed some rice. "You guys are the worst! How could you let this happen to her? What if…what if it were me?"

Mugen said through a half chewed mouthful "That'd be fine with me. There'd be no more of this sunflower samurai shit to listen to an' I could finally kick Jin's ass."

Jin heaped a pile of rice up onto his chopsticks and said "That'll be the day."

"The day that what?" said Mugen, clearly not understanding the expression and angry about it.

Jin just looked at him and sighed. Sometimes verbal sparring with Mugen was not terribly satisfying. "Get your shoe, we should leave now."

Mugen knew Jin was right and he also knew there would be more room outside to do some real fighting. Sword fighting. Mugen got out of his seat and collected his shoe. The man on the floor began to stir back into consciousness. Mugen propped his foot up on the barely conscious man's head and smirked at the fat man.

Mugen caught Kakimoto's eye and said "So, is this guy yers?"

Kakimoto laughed and said "Why yes, and I think you've made him angry. Are you putting on a show for me?"

Mugen said "I don't do nothing, for nobody, but me."

"Too late!" laughed the fat man "You're already entertaining me! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Mugen did not find this amusing. The fat man continued to laugh realizing he tricked Mugen into making him laugh. He didn't laugh long. The fat man quickly found himself on the floor with a lump on his head from a metal clad geta.

The fat man's unharmed friend drew his sword and foolishly ran at Mugen who sidestepped and tripped him. The man went crashing into the table where Fuu and Jin were seated.

Jin looked down at the man who's eyes soon rolled up into his head. Jin then looked up at Mugen who let his mouth lean into a smirk. Mugen approached the fat man who angrily threw Mugen's shoe on the ground making a loud clacking noise.

A thin line of blood dribbled down Kakimoto's face. The fat man's jovial and mischievous face was transformed into an angry and sinister one. He spat as he said "That…" he began to breath harder "was not….funny!"

Shiroko emerged from the kitchen to clear the plates from Kakimoto's table and stumbled upon Mugen and Kakimoto's quarrel. "Shiroko!" demanded Kakimoto "Throw out this wretch and his friends! They're disturbing my meal!"

Shiroko's eyes went wide and then darted towards Jin and Fuu then to Mugen. She revealed nothing of her thoughts. The old man came out from the kitchen and said "Please, Mr. Kakimoto, have a seat, these vagrants were just on their way—"

Fuu slapped a hand to her face knowing that was not going to convince Mugen it was time to move on. Mugen said with all seriousness "I'll leave when I'm ready."

"Shiroko" said the old man "You can take care of them, they're your friends" and walked back into the kitchen.

Kakimoto gawked at her and said "You? Have friends? HA! You worthless wretch it makes sense that you would run with the likes of them. Tell them to leave or the old man learns your secret."

Mugen and Fuu shared the same sentiment "Huh?""Huh?"

Jin walked up behind Mugen and said "It's time to go."

Keeping his eyes on Kakimoto, Mugen said "I ain't done with my food yet."

Kakimoto's two companions were beaten but conscious. They grabbed Shiroko and brought her to Kakimoto. "What'll it be girl? Your friends or your secret." Mugen's hand was itching to draw his sword.

Jin walked towards the door and said over his shoulder to his friends "We were on our way. Let's go."

Fuu scampered down behind Jin and noticed that Mugen was stuck in his spot. Mugen scratched the back of his neck and said "Nah, you guys go on ahead I think I'll be finishing my breakfast."

The fat man laughed and said "And you call yourself a friend?"

Mugen's eyes narrowed and an evil smile played across his lips "Nope." The two men holding Shiroko dove towards Mugen and pushed her into Kakimoto's smelly chest. He grabbed her with his grubby hands and held her tightly. She struggled against his filthy form, but could not free herself.

Mugen flipped back and sprung off his hands down next to where geta lay. He slipped it on just in time to swing his legs upward and outward holding off the two advancing swordsmen. Shiroko and Kakimoto gawked never having seen such a technique performed before. Mugen's legs spun around and around. As he moved about on his hands Jin and Fuu ran back inside at the sound of unsheathing swords.

Jin drew his sword and Kakimoto's companions were cut down in the blink of an eye. The owner emerged from the kitchen and screamed at the sight of the two chopped up men on his floor.

Kakimoto seized the back of Shiroko's neck and whispered in her ear "You could've been my wife instead you'll be tossed out on the street. Maybe back in the brothel before your skill-less ass starves. You'll be sorry for rejecting me, bitch." Kakimoto then pushed her toward the owner still holding her neck.

Jin whipped his sword through the air to clean the blade of its blood. The owner's wife flinched at the stream of blood that sprayed the wall as a result. He knew what was coming.

Mugen raised up his sword and charged Kakimoto. Jin grabbed the back of his shirt before he got there and pulled him close then spoke into his ear. "You're not helping anything. It's bad enough as it is. Time to go. The authorities will be here soon."

Mugen growled and spat. He was ready to shake off Jin's hand and charge in anyway, but Fuu pranced up and put a hand on his arm. He looked down into her pleading eyes. "Please, Mugen, just let it go. I can't find the sunflower samurai without you." Mugen found it hard to resist Fuu's big doe eyes and swore as he put down his sword.

As the two men sheathed their swords they heard Kakimoto say to the owner "I hate to be the one to tell you, but this Shiroko is not who you think she is. I wanted to protect her, but her actions and her connection with her friends here today are forcing me to reveal her true persona."

Jin took a look over his shoulder at the scene. Shiroko had all but given up fighting. Her hands covered her face and she accepted the tight grip of Kakimoto around her neck. He heard Kakimoto say "This woman is a runaway! Her parents aren't dead, she just told you that so you would give her a job."

Jin flashed to an image of Shiroko running away from Mariko as she tried to collect her and bring her inside. She was a little girl and ran laughing with her arms held out wide. The breeze flapped the sleeves of her precious green kimono.

The owner was shuffling his feet and his wife stood closer next to him. The owner said "Whatever her reasons may be she is still good at what she does."

"That's not all, Mr Naoya," said Kakimoto. "She didn't only runaway from home, but from her job as a **whore**."


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to Asphyxiating Elgar, Ai, WindoX, LiStEn2UrHeArT2 , crazy4dogboi, Reality, for ALL of your reviews.

* * *

Mugen, Jin, and Fuu emerged from the restaurant and began to walk off. Jin felt the burden of responsibility weigh him down. His steps became sluggish and he found he had stopped. Mugen growled "Oh c'mon! You tell me we have to escape then you go and slow us down? C'mon Jin we don't got all day!" Jin didn't respond, but looked back over his shoulder.

Back inside the owner was stunned at Shiroko's secret. Shiroko broke free from Kakimoto's grip and ran out the door. Once outside she dropped to her knees. Her angry tears dropped on the sandy path. The owner's wife went outside after her and said with regret "I hope you understand Shiroko, it isn't that we think you're a bad person, but…"

"I know" said Shiroko "the honor to your name may be tarnished. I am sorry." She wiped the tears from her face and found her hand gripping a pile of dirt from the ground. She stood and said "I will leave as soon as possible."

The owner's wife lay her hands on Shiroko's shoulders and tried to look her in the eye. She said "If I were you I would reconsider Kakimoto's proposal."

The owner of the restaurant emerged with Kakimoto. The vile man had a tight victorious smirk on his face. "Well, _lady _Shiroko, what are you going to do now other than marry me? Hm? Ha ha haaa!"

Fuu slowed to a stop with Jin, but Mugen only sped up.

Shiroko tossed the dirt in her hand right into Kakimoto's face. The owner and his wife were horrified at Shiroko's loss of composure and especially when she screamed "I WOULDN'T MARRY YOU IF THE WORLD WERE FLOODED WITH PISS AND YOU LIVED IN A TREE!"

Mugen stopped and turned when he heard the insult and laughed. Shiroko then ran off down the trail past Mugen, Jin, and Fuu.

Kakimoto was outraged. He screamed vehemently as the owner and his wife tried to dust off the dirt from his kimono. Kakimoto pushed them away and shook his fist at the disappearing Shiroko. Fuu and Jin caught up with Mugen and they continued on their journey.

* * *

A short while later Fuu said "Should we go after Shiroko?"

Mugen replied "I think she can take care of herself. She's not as helpless as you skinny."

"Skinny! I told you before my body type just looks slender in clothing…"

Jin had his own thoughts on the matter. 'If we continue on this road we are sure to find her. She will have to return for her possessions. She would not leave them behind.' He sighed listening to Fuu and Mugen argue pointlessly.

Fuu and Mugen's bickering faded as Jin's mind traveled back to the night before he left for the dojo, right after his parents passed away. He remembered white moonlight filtered through the paper screens and his friend, Yukimaru breathed deeply on a futon across from him. Jin remembered his feelings of uncertainty and fear as if it were yesterday.

Jin's father had been killed a few years ago and his mother recently passed away from illness. Yukimaru's family was taking him in for the time being, but Jin hated the feeling of indebtedness which weighed down on him. He also thought of his new life at the dojo. 'I owethis family everything. I will be leaving for the dojo tomorrow. What will it be like? Where will I rank compared to the others?' and other such thoughts sped through his mind.

Then he heard the screen crack open. He slid his eyes up and saw Shiroko smiling, trying to steal a peek at him. 'Urgh!' he thought 'If I had any spare time I wouldn't waste it on a girl like Shiroko. Fat, ugly, silly girl.'

Though Shiroko had changed he still saw the girl he knew in the woman she had become. 'Had it really been so long?' he thought.

His memory continued. Mariko caught Shiroko and Jin smirked when he heard the sound of Mariko's hand 'disciplining' Shiroko. A couple of hours later Jin found he still couldn't sleep. Shiroko coming to spy on him gave him an idea that he just couldn't shake.

Jin rolled over and checked to make sure Yukimaru was still sleeping soundly. Jin got to his feet and treaded softly into the hallway. He heard noises coming from Mariko's room in the form of soft voices. Jin wiped his nose and peeked in a hole in the paper door.

There, by candle light, was a perfect view of a nude Mariko. Jin was in heaven for about ten seconds. Then a man come into view and lay down on top of Mariko. Jin backed up and wiped his nose again.

He silently ran back to Yukimaru's room and slipped back down onto his futon. Jin remembered his panic and the numbness that accompanied it. He knew what he saw, and he also knew he wasn't supposed to see it. 'Mariko isn't married! How could she? Who was that awful man?' He wiped his nose and shut his eyes tight. Tears welled up and spilled out onto his arm. 'Why…She'll never want me.'

Jin, now an adult, realized it had been way over a decade since that night, and yet that realization still hurt.

* * *

Before the travelers knew it an hour had passed. Fuu walked on ahead of the two men and continued a familiar whine. She was hungry she and began to nag her two companions about what they were going to do for money so they could buy food.

Jin felt a presence on the breeze and instinctively put his hand to the hilt of his sword. Mugen stopped suddenly and spread his feet readying himself for a potential battle. Fuu stopped and asked her companions "Do you hear that?"

Jin focused his hearing and heard a woman crying. Mugen walked up past Fuu and said, "Yeah, some chick is crying. C'mon, we got somewhere to go."

Fuu ignored him and walked a few feet into the brush. Jin followed and Mugen waited in the road. He called out to them "Hey! What if it's a trap! I'm not going to save you!" After he got no response he grumbled and followed them.

Mugen found Fuu crouching down next to the waitress from before, Piggy. "Oh, come now, it's not all that bad" comforted Fuu "It's not too far to the next town."

Shiroko wiped her tears and said "That's where I was headed, but…but I left my things at the restaurant."

Mugen said "You don't need stuff when you travel, it just slows you down. C'mon lets go, everybody."

Shiroko gave him a questioning look, but Mugen began to walk back to the road. Jin said "Yes, I agree. Fuu, Shiroko, lets move."

The ladies looked at each other now aware that a decision had been made. Shiroko said to Fuu with a giggle "Don't I get to discuss this?"

Fuu laughed and said "I guess not. It's rare they're so welcoming! C'mon! Let's go!" With a heavy heart over the loss of her few possessions Shiroko began her journey with Mugen, Jin, and Fuu.

* * *

Shiroko was familiar with the area and told her new companions about a river that was close by. Later that night the four travelers sat around a campfire preparing fish they had caught earlier in the day.

They finished their meager meal and sat quietly. Mugen lay on his back and chewed on a piece of grass he snapped off earlier. Jin sat with his eyes closed and legs crossed, meditating, but Fuu was convinced it was so he didn't have to talk to anyone. Fuu was uncomfortable in the silence and tried to start some conversation. Shiroko sat on her feet and looked up at the stars through the trees.

"So..uuuh…Shiroko, what umm…" Fuu had no idea what to ask.

Mugen knew what he wanted to ask, he had wondered frequently about Jin, and now he had an opportunity to ask. He leaned back on his crossed arms and kept his eyes on the stars above. "What was Jin, here like as a kid?"

Shiroko giggled and passed a glance at her samurai acquaintance. She said "Well, Mugen what do you _think_ he was like?"

Mugen pulled the grass from his mouth and checked out what damage his teeth did to it. Jin had opened his eyes and Mugen could feel them on him. Mugen figured he'd have some fun with Jin while he had his attention and said "Well, I figure he was a tight-ass cry baby." Then he went back to chewing.

Jin grunted quietly and furrowed his brow. Shiroko laughed a little louder and responded "No, not quite. He was very unruly though. He wasn't the polished final product you see before you." Shiroko looked in Jin's direction, but not at him. 'I can't deny he has grown up even more handsome than I thought he would, yet he isn't as loveable. He's changed.' Shiroko's smile faded and she said "He was very passionate, but not a crier."

"This is ridiculous" said Jin.

Shiroko noticed Jin felt a little uneasy. 'Perhaps he's afraid of me slipping in what his nickname was. He should be.' "Hmmmm, what else?" Shiroko smirked knowing it was a bit cruel to leave Jin hanging on what secrets she would reveal to his companions, but she enjoyed it never the less. "He was generally in good health, yet I can't remember a day when—"

"That's enough" said Jin with a no nonsense voice. "There's no point in discussing the past, it's already over and done with."

"That's not true! It seems to keep coming back to find you!" said Fuu matter of factly.

"We are all indebted to our pasts, and those who came before us. It is a basic teaching, all of you know this" said Shiroko.

Jin wrapped his arms tighter around his swords and looked away from the fire and his companions.

Shiroko continued after giving Jin a stern look. "Stubborn. He was very stubborn. I see that hasn't changed." Jin and Shiroko's eyes connected and both set's narrowed.

"If I was so easily upset and so stubborn why were you so in love with me?" said Jin causing a redness to take over Shiroko's face.

"I don't know" Shiroko said "I really can't figure out what was so redeeming about you. At all." Jin realized it was too late to take back what he said and there was nearly nothing he could do to stop the consequence. She continued to describe Jin as a child to the others. "My brother called him—"

"I really don't see why you people have such a fascination with the past—" said Jin in a last ditch effort to delay what he knew, deep in his bones, was coming.

Shiroko said "Booger."

Fuu's jaw dropped and Mugen's mouth let out a snicker. Jin said "That was a long time ago."

"Booger?" asked Mugen.

"Yes," Shiroko said "Everyone called Jin, Booger, after my brother started it. It suited him. He always had—"

"Shiroko, I think you have done enough damage for this evening" said Jin without humor. "If you desire shaming me please wait until morning."

"No" said Shiroko, "Then you'll think about it all night. I'll get the torture all over with right now" she said with a sweet smile." She turned back to Mugen who was eagerly awaiting more information about his opponent-companion. "He had this one dangly drooly drip of snot that just hung from his nose" Shiroko illustrated the fact by mimicking Jin's nasal secretions with her finger. "It would dangle, just like this."

Mugen nearly pissed himself "HA! Booger! HaHAAAA! Our stoic samurai was a snot nosed brat! HA!"

Fuu hit Mugen's shoulder, but he barely felt it. "Mu-geeeen! Quit laughing idiot!" she said watching Jin become more and more angry.

Mugen caught his breath again and said "I can't help it. First Piggy then Booger, it's too much! Ha haaa!"

Fuu glanced at Jin, whose anger was beginning to make the corners of his face twitch. His controlled ire made Fuu begin to giggle. She quickly brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to hold in her giggles. It was no use.

Shiroko smiled broadly and began to laugh boldly. "Piggy" she said "Now that's a name I haven't heard since I was child." She was speaking to herself as she watched Fuu and Mugen roll on the ground.

Jin turned and looked at her. He said "Doesn't their laughter make you angry? They're laughing at you too."

Shiroko turned her smile on Jin and said "I know. But that name reminds me of good times." She let out a small laugh and said "I _was_ a little piggie."

Jin's mouth cracked open a little and he quickly replaced the smile with his mask of stoicism.

Fuu tried to sit up, and was still holding her stomach from laughing so hard. "Okay," she sighed. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. Hmhmhm."

"Good idea" said Shiroko. The fire crackled a bit in the ensuing silence and Shiroko drifted off to sleep dreaming of wildflowers.

Jin sat and closed his eyes and let his fingers glide against the smoothness of his katana. 'The restaurant is not that far down the road. If one were to run it would not take too long to get back there.' He glanced at Shiroko sleeping next to the fire. He went over the events of the day and realized 'Shiroko has Yukimaru's daring streak.' "Hmf" he laughed to himself. 'I guess, Yukimaru, that she is all that is left of my kinship with you. Jin stood, placed his swords in his belt, then took off on a light footed run.


	5. Chapter 5

All my reviewers are so Super-Coolio! Thanks guys for your reviews! It's nice to hear people like my story. It was tough for me to write, I just wasn't as inspired as I usually am when I write. So needless to say I was a bit anxious about posting this one.It had a lot of drafts and about 3 endings! Don't worry I will update quickly because it's already written.

* * *

Jin arrived back at the restaurant and saw no lights in the windows. He knew which room was hers since he and his friends had stayed in it. He was there for the box. He scaled the side of the building and slipped in through an open window. He pulled one of the floor boards aside and found her box. He pulled it out and made sure it had all its contents. He had a lingering suspicion that Mugen had taken the necklace, but he did not. It was still there.

He was walking back towards the window when he saw a neatly folded pile of clothing in a cabinet near the window. He put a hand on it and found it was a silk kimono possibly light green, but in the dark it was hard to tell. It was finely made and he was sure she'd miss it. He piled it on top of her box and wrapped her possessions on a large scarf. He felt embarrassed, but sifted through her other possessions. He found a bag of gold and put it in the scarf.

Jin's lithe form dropped out of the window and he ran off into the night. He arrived back at camp just before the sun rose. He placed Shiroko's belongings next to her sleeping form and went down to the river to wash up and get a drink.He leaned up against a tree and passed out.

Shiroko, was in fact, not asleep. She had heard Jin's panting and decided to give him a few moments to regain his composure. When he relaxed against the tree she rolled over and saw her things. She wanted to thank him properly, but he was already asleep.

* * *

The next morning came suddenly and they were off walking again. Fuu and Mugen didn't seem to notice that Shiroko now had a few meager possessions. They were too busy tossing biting remarks back and forth at each other. 

Shiroko wanted to thank Jin, but he kept avoiding her. During the day as the group walked, Shiroko saw her chance to speak to Jin. She had learned a thing or two about flirting and decided she'd try her hand at it casually.

Shiroko walked up next to Jin and said "It's lovely weather. We're sure lucky to travel in such gentle sunlight."

He didn't look at her and only said "Mm."

Fuu turned a large brown eye over her shoulder and back on the road ahead of her. 'Good luck, Shiroko, Jin's been traveling with me for weeks on end now and he hasn't said boo to me!' she thought.

"I don't know" said Mugen from the front of their line. "I kind of like the hot sun. It energizes me for fightin'" he looked back and none too subtly eyed Shiroko up and down "and fer other stuff."

Jin then said "As I recall Shiroko, you too preferred the hot summers to the mildness of spring." Shiroko smiled, excited that Jin had remembered anything about her until he said "Your sister was more reasonable. Mariko, like I, appreciated the autumn."

Shiroko crinkled the corner of her mouth in aggravation. "Well, this is nice weather to travel in none-the-less" she said with finality. 'What else can I talk about?' Shiroko's eyes drifted around the field they were coming upon and thought 'Perfect!' "I've never seen such a wonderful collection of wild flowers. They're all so beautiful!"

"What are you talking about?" griped Jin "Your house was surrounded by them."

'Perfect opportunity here to speak about when we were young...' thought Shiroko.

That was until Jin said "What does it matter. They're all _common_ flowers. None of them unique in any way."

Mugen walked at the head of the line with his arms up and hands resting on the back of his head. Though his eyes remained closed he joined the conversation saying "Who cares if there's a lot of it or not? If something's pretty it's pretty." He scratched his chin and cracked open an eye to peer out at his path. "You're making it too complicated, just enjoy them."

Jin, in a tone as cool as granite, said "Perhaps it is too complicated for you to understand, but for those of us with discriminating tastes these flowers are low."

Mugen stopped and Fuu felt a fight coming on. Jin stopped as well and put his hand to the hilt of his katana. Shiroko thought it best to keep walking and ignore the boy's squabble. She gazed out upon the field of flowers and said to Mugen "You're right. It would be foolish to ignore all that beauty."

Mugen took his eyes off Jin and looked her square in the eye. He said in a quiet voice "That's what I'm sayin'. Why ignore all that beauty?"

Shiroko definitely felt that Mugen was talking about more than just flowers and was surprised to realize she didn't mind at all.

Fuu definitely knew what Mugen was saying and was at a loss for words "Eeeeeh…" She felt a slight panic over take her but was not sure of what to do about it.

Jin took his hand from his sword again, but for some reason felt like killing Mugen more now than ever. 'Fool. Ignorant fool.'

Fuu found her voice and said "Maybe we should keep moving." Her eyes were darting around unsure of her own decision to invite Shiroko on this journey. 'What was I thinking?'

Mugen walked ahead, hands sliding back into place and allowing the setting sun to wash across his face. Shiroko found herself walking by Mugen's side now and left Fuu to walk behind with a slightly sulking Jin.

* * *

The next few days passed without incident. During this time Fuu explained where they were going and why. Shiroko was amused by the tales of their journey to find this mysterious Sunflower Samurai. She felt the dynamic between the three travelers and became slightly aware of how she was throwing it off. 

Then one late afternoon the group came upon a section of river with a waterfall. They camped nearby and caught some fish. After they ate Jin walked off to a distance that ensured his solitude from the group and found a spot higher up on a craggy overhang covered in grass and moss. Shiroko decided to bathe down in the water.

Fuu did her best to keep Mugen occupied in order to keep him from peeping at Shiroko. The brush was heavy around the water, but the distance to camp was not all that far. Fuu was not concerned about Jin trying to steal a peek since he had already distanced himself from the group in order to meditate. Also, Fuu thought to herself 'I wonder what he has a bug up his butt about. He's been kind of snippy since we encountered her again.'

As Jin tried to drown out Mugen and Fuu's bickering he closed his eyes and focused on the sound of the waterfall.

Shiroko decided to do some meditating of her own in the cold water below. 'This sure as hell isn't a hot spring. Ah well, cold water is good to cleanse the soul and harden the flesh.' Shiroko stepped under the cold stream and immersed herself in the thundering bath of fresh water. She visualized it washing away her shame and the filth of her secrets.

The white noise of the waterfall drowned out all else, until Jin could hear his soul whispering to him. He opened his eyes and gazed over the thin rim of his glasses. He allowed his gaze to fall softly upon the waterfall.

Jin noticed a fair skinned form standing in the curtain of water. The stream from above crashed off her shoulders and sprayed out. Her long black hair was sleek down her back. It clung to her shape and made obvious the curves of her body. 'Shiroko?' Jin felt a stirring as he gazed at her body. Her slender limbs snaked their way through the water and back around her waist. Jin could almost hear music in the sound of the water slapping her skin.

As Jin's eyes took in the moment his ears caught wind of Mugen's coarse voice. "HEY!" screamed Mugen "WHY DOES JIN GET A PEEK, HUH? WHY NOT ME?" This snapped him out of his spell, however his eyes were still drawn to Shiroko in the waterfall.

Fuu turned around and spotted Jin propped up higher on the landscape looking down towards the direction of the waterfall. Air caught in Fuu's throat and she let out a "Ugh!" sound. Fuu's eyes bugged and her hands went into the air and performed a spastic dance expressing her alarm. Her shock and bizarre noise caught Jin's full attention. He then snapped his sight down to Fuu and Mugen. Fuu looked horrified and even a little disappointed. Mugen on the other hand was glad he had foiled Jin's enjoyment and smiled to himself.

Jin calmly stood, sliding his swords into place on his belt and deftly slid down to his traveling companions. He decided to ignore them. A few awkward and silent moments passed. Jin went and stoked the fire and Shiroko returned from her bath. "What was all the yelling about ?" she asked, fully dressed and drying her hair with a small towel.

Fuu slapped her hand over Mugen's mouth since he was more than eager to tell Shiroko what he was yelling about. Fuu spoke in his place. "Oh, nothing" she said nervously. "My, what a pretty kimono" she said trying to deflect any comments.

Shiroko knew something was up, but figured she would figure it out if it was important. 'Mugen was probably trying to catch a glimpse of me' she thought. She was totally unaware that it was Jin who had spotted her.

* * *

The next day the travelers came to a ridge that gave them a view of the town they were seeking. Fuu was secretly relieved that their extra friend was going to be left behind here. "Well, there it is!" said Fuu with cheer. "Looks like another days journey and we'll be there!" 

Mugen had caught on to a strange phenomenon during their journey with Shiroko. Jin did what he could to ignore her, even push her away, yet Jin's black warriors eyes burned with seething anger whenever Mugen gave her attention, of any kind. It didn't happen when Fuu would chat with Shiroko, only Mugen. 'I don't understand it, but it does give me an opportunity for some fun.'

Mugen dropped from the front of their group back down to Shiroko's side. She had picked some flowers along the way and was trying to arrange a small bouquet. They were all white, except for the last one. It was red. She held the red one in her other hand mulled over where it should go. "Whatcha doin'?" he asked doing his best to sound like he didn't care.

"I can't figure out where this red one should go. It just sticks out where ever I place it."

"Is that bad?" he asked.

Shiroko smiled and said "It's a beautiful flower, but it throws off the balance of the rest of the bouquet. It's size, its shape—"

Jin walked past and glared at Mugen as he said "It's smell." The two men glared at each other until Jin passed and caught up with Fuu.

Shiroko ignored them and went back to focusing on her bouquet. Mugen focused his energies back to Shiroko knowing it irked Jin to no end. "Well why not just toss all the white ones?"

"I, well…it wouldn't be much of a bouquet if I didn't have all the others would it?" she replied.

"Then keep a white one, and a red one, and screw the rest" Mugen grabbed her handful of flowers, randomly selected one and tossed the rest aside. "Here" he handed her a single white flower and said with a smooth voice and seductive eyes "Sometimes you only need two."

Shiroko was continually surprised by Mugen during their trip. She noticed he was spending more and more time with her. He would talk mostly about nature and what they could eat and not eat. Shiroko found this to be useful knowledge and always thanked him for sharing it with her. He would immediately say "I'm not doin' it for nothin' but me" then Fuu would smack him with her shoe or Jin would "Mmn" and the strange moment would pass.

As they walked down the road Shiroko took one last glance on the other flowers then back at the one Mugen had chosen. She took it from his grubby hand and brought it together with the red one. She was surprised to see that they looked more beautiful together than all the rest combined.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks guys for your reviews. **WindoX**--in response to your assertion that Mugen is slightly out of character...perhaps, but perhaps not. He's still a selfish sod and the flower thing was actually quite like him. It showed his take-what-you-like-and-screw-the-rest kind of attitude. He showed no tenderness for the other flowers and a sort of vicious disregard for what happened to them after he was done with them. They were left on the road to wither and die. The red flower was him, the white one was Shiroko. Screw the rest, leave 'em to die on the road. Who's to say after the red polinated the white that the white wouldn't also be left on the road to wither? That's how I tried to write it, at least. Everyone else please R&R!

* * *

The last night that Shiroko would spend in the forest with them was humid. She went down to the rivers edge to wash her face, hands and arms. Her scarf lie open behind her leaving all her small possessions exposed to the elements. Jin had not spoken to Shiroko for most of the trip. Mugen had, for the most part, taken most of her time uselessly flirting with her. Jin was aggravated because he wanted news of Mariko. He could never face the love of his dreams again, after that last night he saw her nor now that he carried the shame of a ronin. 

He decided to wait a few paces behind Shiroko and allow her to finish what she was doing. She sat up and stared off into the distance as the water dropped from her chin. "Jin? You want to know what happened to Mariko, don't you?"

"Yes" he said. His curiosity burned inside him.

She nodded and stayed down at the waters edge. She spoke quietly, and Mugen who pretended to sleep nearby couldn't hear their conversation. Shiroko's voice carried a tragic story. "Mariko, as I mentioned the last time we met, was married. She bared two sons for a powerful samurai. Soon after their second son was born he was granted a fief of his own for his valuable service to the Shogun."

The cool night air picked up and blew through Jin's wayward strands of hair. "I am…happy for her." 'Was that the man? It doesn't matter anyhow.'

Shiroko wasn't convinced he was happy, but didn't respond to Jin. She continued the story. "While they were moving out of their old home there…" Shiroko halted unsure if she should tell Jin of what happened next.

"What?" he asked. Inwardly he was losing his patience, but did not allow it to show on his face or in his voice.

Shiroko continued the tale "There was a fire. She was caught inside." Jin took a step forward and Shiroko's words stopped him "She lived, but was terribly scarred."

He stepped back. Shiroko turned to look at the fallen samurai. He rested his arm on his swords and his eyes gazed at the ground for some comfort. "She was a beautiful girl, it is quite a loss" was all he could say.

Shiroko dipped a finger into the still lake water. As Jin watched the ripples spread out to the waiting mass of water Shiroko said "Her husband sent her back to us and she became a shut-in. Looking that way brought out the absolute worst in her. She was never a warm person, but this just made her too angry, almost evil."

Jin recalled that it was her beauty that he admired most, but he had to admit she was not the kindest girl he had ever known. 'She was not like Shiroko in that respect…' An image of Shiroko flashed in his mind. Through the gauzy sun lit curtain of his memories he saw a chubby cheeked Shiroko as a young girl cupping her hands around a flower a butterfly had landed on.

Shiroko's voice made the image vanish. "As I grew, I resembled her old self more and more. It was just another reason to remove me so I don't know much about what has happened to her. I hear she still lives in our home though our parents have passed."

"I see" said Jin. He knew what had happened to Yukimaru. He debated over what to tell Shiroko that he had killed him.

"I know all about you Jin and how you've become a ronin. I could barely believe it when I heard. Then Yukimaru disappeared."

Jin knew it would come to this. It was only fair that he tell her. "Yukimaru came after me after I left the dojo." Jin had a sinking feeling Shiroko had heard why Jin left the dojo. "I tried to avoid it, but I had to kill him."

Shiroko's hand fell through the surface of the water and made a small splash as it hit the mud below. "Yukimaru was such a fool" she sputtered with a shaky voice. "His desire for fame did him in, did it not? Now I am left here and you don't even know the position you have put me in."

"Position?" Jin asked, a little confused by her response.

"Yes. My loyalty…Jin, the reason I was sent away was…the reason I was…" Shiroko washed the mud off her hand and turned to look up at Jin. "…the man I was betrothed to ran away."

Jin reverted to the child inside and thought 'If the choice was left between marrying Piggy and running away I too would—' his thoughts were halted when he realized what she was saying. Their eyes met and he could see deeply into hers. He could see her sadness and her pain. He had abandoned her. Her loyalties were in conflict between her brother, and her loyalty to Jin, her absconding fiancé. The breeze blew and rustled the grass.

Once she knew that Jin understood the implication she picked up a towel from her bundle and dried her hands. He could think of nothing to say. He was still curious about why she had Mariko's necklace and the origami butterfly. There was no better time to ask since the box was visible in the middle of her bundle. "Why do you have Mariko's possessions?"

Shiroko gave her hands one last wipe and folded the towel. "She did not want them. I couldn't see throwing away anything so beautiful so I took them."

'Mariko was throwing away my butterfly?' thought Jin. Shiroko folded up her scarf, holding all her belongings, and started up towards the campfire. Jin asked "Are you going to avenge Yukimaru?"

Shiroko halted and quietly said "I have a feeling he did what he did not out of vengeance for his master, Jin. I know this and will not honor such a selfish act. His selfishness has brought nothing but shame to my family." She walked back up to the camp and found a place to sleep for the night.

Jin walked back down to the water's edge and felt a new weight of obligation crushing down on him. He touched the water where Shiroko had, and swirled his finger in circles. 'I had no family. I had few, if any people I could call friends. I was so unaware that my actions had so many unforeseen results.' Jin spent a good part of the night watching the ripples moving out from his fingers into the lake and beyond.

* * *

The next afternoon, after a quiet and somber walk, the group came to a sleepy town. The group said their farewells to Shiroko and continued on their way destined to find the Sunflower Samurai. 

"Goodbye Fuu, and good luck with your quest. I hope you find him and give him a good walloping!" said Shiroko with a smile.

Fuu responded with a smile and a bow. "Thank you Shiroko for keeping us company on the road."

"Not a problem" responded Shiroko. "If I ever bump into any of you again please rest assured I will give you whatever hospitality I can."

Mugen picked his teeth with a stick he found on the road and said "Yeah, g'bye. See you round" he said casually. He began to walk away and Fuu chased after him yapping away about how he could have been more polite.

Jin stood in his place and stared at Shiroko. Fuu and Mugen's angry voices were beginning to muffle in the distance. Shiroko said "Thank you, Jin for traveling with me. It was a pleasure to see you again." Shiroko could not meet his eyes. She felt tears welling up inside her but fought them with a few deep breaths.

He said nothing. The breeze blew and Shiroko bowed. When she looked up she thought 'I might as well brave his eyes. I will probably never see him again.' When she looked up she saw a pair of eyes that conveyed deep regret. She was initially surprised at this, but going over their conversation the night before she realized she put him in an awful position. "Please Jin, fulfill your obligations to Fuu. That's what you've set out and promised to do."

Jin reluctantly looked away and turned then followed his traveling companions.

Shiroko stood on the road and watched the man she loved so dearly wander away. 'I didn't mean to place another burden on his shoulders, he's already so tired from the one's he has.'

When Shiroko told Jin that their marriage was to be arranged she alerted him of an obligation he had to fill to his deceased parents. Jin's parents did not live to tell him nor did he stay long enough with Shiroko's family to learn of the promise. Now that he knew he felt driven by honor to repay his debt.

* * *

A few years after the trio finished their quest Jin found a home outside a busy town. 

One day he picked up his katana and practiced his sword techniques. He had kept up with his style and practiced often.

Jin walked out to the fields beyond his humble house. He found a spot near a tree and raised his sword. His eyelids drooped as the blade dropped. The breeze of his swipe fluttered the tall wild flowers and grass. His sword swooshed down again and again. The sun moved across the sky and Jin slipped into a calm and focused state. All of his troubles and doubts melted away with the rest of his thoughts.

The movement of his limbs, the shifting of his hips, and the dropping of his blade became automatic. His mind emptied of all thoughts, all worries, and anxieties. The changing world around him faded and nothing penetrated his world of quiet solitude. The sword dropped again cutting the breeze with a swooshing sound.

Jin cracked his eyes open and shot a glance to the tall grass next to the tree. He saw a head of blue black hair and shoulders covered in green silk. He continued his practice. He closed his eyes and a familiar scene played out in his minds eye.

He brought down his sword and turned towards the crouching woman. Shiroko stood from the grass and smiled. Jin contorted his face a tad and Shiroko laughed. "I know I know, I've gained a bit of weight."

Jin was embarrassed that his emotions played so obviously across his face. She had gained back some weight, but she was still pretty. "You look…" he smiled only slightly as he realized "like yourself."

Shiroko was unsure about the comment and decided to take it as an insult. "Thanks" she said dryly.

Jin felt the urge to keep her happy. "I meant it as a compliment. Your face is more appealing like that."

Shiroko's eyebrows jumped at the realization that Jin called her appealing. She smiled and bowed her head. She shifted her eyes off to the side and gazed at the wild flowers there. "Thank you, Jin." She decided to have fun with the moment and try a bit of flirting. She kept her head down, but looked up and said playfully "You should watch out, Shino is not likely not to endear herself to me if she catches you calling me appealing" she laughed to herself thinking of how ridiculous the idea of Jin and her together was.

Shiroko resigned herself to the idea of being his friend. 'Perhaps it is best this way. How could I be happy with a man who was not interested in me? Or a man who could not see me as more than the child he knew?'

Jin set himself back into his stance and began his monotonous practice again. He said between strikes "I…don't think she…would mind…She might…even encourage it."

Shiroko laughed because she was unsure of what else to say. She did not understand what he was telling her. "Your wife is quite the understanding woman."

Jin said nothing, only allowed his sword to drop and blow down the tall grass.

Shiroko felt she was treading on unsure ground and decided to change the topic. She watched him a moment with a sad longing and then said "This is a lovely home you have."

Jin's strikes became harder and more focused. Shiroko saw a bead of perspiration, on his already moist skin.

Shiroko said "It's humble, but Shino keeps it so clean, and it's bright as well."

His answer was the drop of his sword in a slicing motion.

"How are you and Shino getting on out here?" she motioned to the rural area that surrounded them. After she asked, Shiroko realized that she had once again found herself on personal territory she tried to compensate and pull the conversation away. "You know, uh…it's very rural. You've been traveling through a lot of cities this must be different for you."

Slice. "She speaks of things she shouldn't."

Shiroko had heard whisperings around town of a group of revolutionaries. 'Is Shino anti-Shogunate?' It was dangerous to speak of since it threatened the established ruling hierarchy of Japan. Shiroko was unsure what angle he was taking so she let the comment sit in the air between them.

She never knew what Jin was thinking, ever. Even now after their journeying, after their separation, and their new reunion. It was only by chance Shiroko had heard about the reticent and pale samurai who lived on the outskirts of town. She was passing through the village on a never ending journey of her own. She had to see if it was Jin. It was him, and he was living with Shino.

Jin sliced the air once more and then sheathed his sword back into its scabbard. "Is that a different sword, Jin?"

"Yes, and no. I had to have it re-forged."

"What? How? Why?"

Jin turned his eyes on her and said "A lot of reasons. One of which is named Mugen."

When Shiroko heard the name she laughed. "He broke your sword? I knew he was trouble, but that—"

"I broke his as well." Jin's gaze was pointed and directed at Shiroko.

"Huh." 'What now? Is he going to try and break his sword on me?' "Well…that is surprising." Shiroko felt her nerves begin to tingle. She wasn't sure what Jin was thinking. "The sun is setting, perhaps I should be getting back to town." Shiroko bowed and turned to leave.

Jin's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "No. It will be dark soon. You should stay here with us."

Shiroko turned around and said "I don't want to inconvenience you nor your wife—"

"You won't. We enjoy having company. We don't get much out here." His hand slid from her shoulder and dropped back to his side.

Shiroko bowed and said "Thank you Jin-san."

"Let's go back to the house, Shino should be serving dinner soon."


	7. Chapter 7

WindoX: Sorry buddy, it wasn't my intention to burn you. I just wanted to explain why I wrote it the way I did. Thanks to all my reviewers! You're all super and motivating and happy making!

* * *

The next morning Shiroko thanked both Jin and Shino for accommodating her and left for town again. When she reached town she decided to grab some tea and entered a shop to do so. She took a seat at an empty table and waited patiently for the waitress. That was until she heard a couple arguing.

"Well I don't know! I just heard that he was around here" said the woman.

"But you don't even know if it was him!" yelled the man. "What's with you chasin' after people with nothing more than a rumor to guide you? Stupid bitch, I could be raking in the dough back with my operation back in Nagasaki!"

Shiroko turned her head and watched the couple and realized she knew them: Fuu and Mugen. Fuu was about to continue to defend her reliance on rumors when Shiroko approached them. "Excuse me?" 'Are these the same two Jin had been traveling with?'

Mugen looked up and gave her a sly smile "What lady? This is a private conversation!"

Shiroko could see the recognition slowly appear on Fuu's face. "Shiroko?"

Shiroko bowed in response and Mugen said "Shiroko?" he turned to Fuu and said "Who the hell's that? Do you know her?"

"Yeah, and so do you nit-wit!" said Fuu. "Think back to our journey with Jin. She traveled with us for like a week!"

Mugen's mind was blank "eeeeh?"

"You seemed pretty fond of her then!" said Fuu dryly.

Muge asked casually "Was she less fat back then?"

"MUGEEEEEN!" screeched Fuu.

Shiroko laughed and said "You two haven't changed a bit. I couldn't help but overhear your, um, discussion. Are you looking for Jin?"

"Yes, yes we are! Do you know where he is?" asked Fuu excited her rumor following led them there.

"Actually yes, I just saw him this morning. He is living with his wife out in the farming country."

Mugen nearly choked on his food "Farming? Why didn't he like, I-uh-know, open a dojo or something?"

"I would suspect because that takes a great deal of money, plus, he wasn't exactly bestowed with a respectable title. Who would take lessons from a ronin?"

Fuu said sadly "Yeah, but…but he's _Jin_!"

* * *

Jin decided to go into town that day and buy some fruit for Shino. He had been in a cold mood as of late and felt he had to make amends. Shino was acting strange when he left, but he chucked it up to his recent behavior towards her. He walked to his favorite stand and tried to pick out a peach or pear that didn't look bruised or rotten.

The man who operated the fruit stand came and told him "That one there is fresh, sir."

Jin felt like being picky that day. "No. This one will not due." He put the peach down and searched for a larger one. Jin found another, but was not satisfied just yet. He held two peaches in his hand and tried his best to judge which was better. He put one down and decided to hold onto the smaller one while he kept looking for the perfect fruit. 'the smaller ones are usually sweeter.'

* * *

Mugen, Shiroko, and Fuu were leaving the tea house when several men with brandishing swords stepped in. "We're here to arrest the vagrants who stole the ox cart!"

Fuu punched Mugen and whispered harshly "You told me you got that cart legitimately!"

"I did!" he whispered back "I **won** it fare and square! It's not my problem that he didn't know the game was rigged!"

Shiroko pulled on their sleeves and motioned towards the back door. Fuu was trying to drag Mugen along, but it was too late. He said "Ha! I don't think you could arrest a stray dog who took a piss on your own leg."

"Why the impudence!" said the head of the group. "Get him! He's the one who stole the cart!"

Fuu and Shiroko ran back into the kitchen. Their sudden appearance startled the cook, but not as much as Mugen brandishing his no-name katana barreling through the door. He turned and slit the noren along with a couple of officials that were following them. Fuu and Shiroko ran out a back door and were soon followed by their outlaw friend.

Shiroko looked around one corner and Fuu another. The two women turned back and signaled that there were more officials roaming around the sides of the establishment. Mugen shrugged his shoulders and ran past Fuu right into the group of men who were waiting for him. Their yells caught the attention of the other men and Shiroko and Fuu were going to be stuck in the middle.

"AH!" yelped Fuu at the sight of the officials. Shiroko grabbed Fuu and dragged her up onto a pile of crates that were sitting there. Shiroko grabbed onto over hang of the roof and pulled herself up. She helped Fuu up onto the roof and they ran up and forward.

Fuu peeped over the edge of the roof and saw Mugen bouncing off the walls and taking the officials off guard. He too made it to the roof after he finished his slaughter and asked "What the hell are you doing up here?"

Shiroko said "We had to get out of the way! We could've been killed moron! Why did you have to go and provoke them like that?"

"I don't know. I hate seein' guys like that. Never the less having to listen to them proclaim shit."

"We should get out of here!" said Fuu. "The roof next door looks lower, maybe we can get down from there?"

"Good idea" said Shiroko. The two girls ran to the edge and looked across the alley. They took a hold of each other's hands and jumped. Fuu barely made it across. Fuu skidded and slipped off the roof, but Shiroko had a hold of her.

Mugen easily made the jump across and after watching the girls fumble he said "Good thing it wasn't the other way around, Fuu. If you'd have to drag up lardo here you would've fallen over for sure." Mugen scratched the back of his head and said "Oh…I remember now, you're Piggy!"

Shiroko was not amused. She walked up to Mugen and punched him square in the kisser. He lost his balance and slid down the front of the roof taking as many tiles along the way as he could. Then he fell off the roof. The women heard a large crashing noise and ran to peer over the edge.

* * *

Then Jin saw a faultless beautiful piece of fruit shining like a beacon to him. He raised his hand to reach out to the perfect piece of produce when something large, smelly and swearing dropped from the roof above. It crashed down and splattered the perfect peach and the cart it was sitting in.

When Mugen hit the cart the peaches that were not squashed under the weight of his body shot out into the street. The cart collapsed underneath him and sent splinters and peach pulp into the air. As the dust settled Mugen sat up, shook his messy head free of peach juice and pulp. Jin looked down with a stern hard look as peach pulp dripped from his brow. Mugen barely had his senses back when he stood and staggered into the street. He shook his arms and legs spraying peach juices on passersby.

Jin looked up from where Mugen and fallen and saw Shiroko yell down "You deserved it!"

Mugen growled and was about to jump back up on the roof when Fuu let out a gasp. She saw him first. "JIN!" Fuu didn't hesitate to jump off the roof. Jin caught her and deposited the petite woman on the ground. "Oh Jin! I'm so glad to bump into you!"

The cart owner began to yell and wave his arms around in the air. Shiroko then jumped down from the roof and landed on him silencing his complaints. She awkwardly stood up and dusted off her kimono as her eyes darted back and forth hoping no one had seen. She looked down at the unconscious stand owner and pulled part of the destroyed peach cart in front of him to hide her doing from the public.

Shiroko walked up to Jin who was still silent with surprise. Shiroko said with a bit of warm sarcasm "Well well, long time no see, huh?"

"Hm" was all he could manage. He looked down at Fuu and her large brown expectant eyes. He said "Hello, Fuu. What brings you here?"

She smiled and said "You! I heard rumors that you had slipped off in this direction. I knew I'd find you again!" Fuu threw her arms around Jin again and realized she didn't know why she had come.

"So you sought me out? What is it that I can do for you?" asked Jin doing his best to delay his reunion with the pungent ruffian.

Mugen would not be ignored. As he shook his body, starting with his head, torso, limbs, feet and hands, the remnants of squashed peaches flung from his person. He stalked over to Jin and said "Well, dork-face you haven't gotten new glasses huh? I shouldn't have complained so much about them since they hid that long ugly face of yours."

Fuu stepped in and said "Oh come on you two! It's hasn't been five minutes and you're already at it!"

Jin said "I wasn't _at_ anything."

"Oh yeah! I saw that look you gave m—" Mugen was interrupted by the shouts of more officials. Mugen was about to draw his sword again, but Jin grabbed Mugen's arm.

Jin explained "My home is not far from here and I would prefer to stay out of trouble. If you draw your sword I too will have to draw mine."

The four accomplices made a run for it. They ran into the woods and lost the officials. Jin begrudgingly invited them back to his home for supper. It was a long walk, and when they returned the sun was setting. Jin went to find Shino to explain that they had guests and she would have to prepare more food for them, but also to give her his gift: the two peaches he was holding when Mugen fell from the roof.

He invited in all three of them and made sure they were comfortable. He thought Shino would have heard them enter and made their guests feel more welcome. She was no where to be seen and Jin was confused by her absence. 'Where could she have wandered off to so late in the day?'

He walked around their humble house and she was no where to be found. He ventured out back 'Perhaps she is gardening or taking in some of the vegetables?' She was not their either. Jin came back into the room where his guests were and offered to make them tea.

Shiroko and Fuu felt awkward about Jin making anything for them, but Mugen did not. He accepted and Jin went to the kitchen to prepare the tea and some kind of food if he could manage.

He stepped down into the kitchen and walked over to the counter. He started boiling some water, and found a piece of paper on the counter.

_Dear Jin_

_These few years with you have been wonderful, but we cannot live a dream just as we cannot live a lie. Goodbye._

_Shino_

Jin stood thinking about his life without her. He knew why she left. He knew it wasn't anything personal and she felt she had to contribute to the revolutionary cause that she hinted to him about. 'She speaks of things she shouldn't. She is now off doing things she shouldn't.' He toyed with the idea of going off and searching for her. 'No, I cannot. She left me because she knew my heart. She knew I did not believe in what she did.'

His buried his frustration deep down inside himself and continued to make the tea.


	8. Chapter 8

**Asphyxiating Elgar**--thanks for your insightful review! No problem about the review. I always try to return the favor because I know how much reviews mean to me. They really increase motivation!**crazy4dogboi**--did I mention how much I love your handle? I love it for two reasons. The first being that I too have a love of dog boys and second being that I had a friend once who we all called "boi" - not boy...just cuz.  
**WindoX**--I'm glad I surprised you! Compared to my other fics this one is very straightforward. If you like Inuyasha,twists, and turns you'd like my Sesshoamru & Comrades stories-they're full ofsurprises.  
**Reality**--Maybe. maybe not. Read and find out!

Now, on to the story... SPOILER--about last couple of episodes.

* * *

Fuu and the others realized it was taking Jin quite some time to prepare the tea. Fuu went to go check on him. Mugen said "Oh, c'mon. You're always sayin' he's the smart one why don't you just wait, I'm sure he can figure it out." Fuu already walked to the kitchen leaving Shiroko and Mugen alone in the room.

Shiroko felt bad that Mugen had slid off the roof, but did not feel an apology would be wise. He looked at her. Then she found he wasstaring at her. She did not look back, but only at the small lacquer table in between them. Surprisingly Mugen spoke first. "Hey, Piggy." Shiroko looked up with a disdainful look in her eye. Mugen continued obviously begrudgedthat he felt obliged to do so "Sorry 'bout the roof. You look…nice."

Even though Shiroko felt Fuu probably had something to do with the apology she smiled. "No, Mugen, I apologize for over reacting. I was relieved that you were unhurt. That was the only reason I yelled at you afterwards."

"It's nothing when you got cat like reflexes like mine" he said as he stretched out his gangly limbs.

Shiroko rolled her eyes and said "I wonder what those two are up to. It shouldn't take this long to make tea."

"Mm" said Mugen. He stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Shiroko.

"To the kitchen. I'm freakin' starving" said Mugen as he rubbed his stomach under his shirt. Shiroko quickly followed, not wanting to be left alone.

Mugen pushed aside the curtain first and halted. Shiroko peeked around his arm to see Jin letting Fuu go as if they had been embracing. He was holding a crinkled piece of paper.

Though Mugen and Fuu were not married their relationship was a close and intimate one. To see Fuu in another man's arms was not only irritating, but insulting to Mugen. Instead of drawing his sword he only eyed the two of them up and down then briskly walked out the door grabbing his metal clad geta on the way. Fuu rushed after him "MUGEN! MUGEN WAIT!"

He turned to face her and an ugly argument ensued. Shiroko peered form the doorway and said to Jin "Good thing you don't have neighbors, you would be terribly embarrassed." Shiroko thought it was funny but realized he wasn't laughing. It didn't surprise her that he wasn't laughing, but his lack of a response caused her to look back at him anyway.

She took a double take. Her smile fell as she looked at Jin leaning on the wall staring into no where. There was no feeling she could read off him nor lines in his face to imply anything. He was blank. "Jin?" Shiroko approached him and he was snapped back to the present and stood straight. "Are you feeling okay?" He looked at her, the same way he always did: with reluctant amity. "What's that?"

Jin handed her the letter. As she read the short goodbye from Shino Fuu and Mugen screamed at each other outside. Jin watched their interaction while Shiroko's face fell with sadness. "Oh, Jin…" 'What do I say?' "I'm…I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I knew this would happen eventually" he said still watching Mugen and Fuu scream and gesticulate at each other. "It is no one's fault."

Fuu screamed at Mugen, loud enough for Europe to hear, why they were hugging and that Shino had left. Mugen came back with an epithet implying that it was perfect timing for Fuu to take Shino's place. Fuu told him he was being the same stupid, insensitive jerk he always is and eventually and begrudgingly Mugen said he wasn't too stupid to understand that Fuu wasn't trying to jump Jin's bones. Their reconciliation begun there.

Shiroko did not quite understand what happened, or why Shino left, and she was dying to ask Jin about what the note meant. She remembered he mentioned Shino spoke of things she shouldn't, but never really clarified what that meant. 'Was I totally off assuming it was political? Maybe it was about his past? You can never tell with this guy.'

Mugen and Fuu finished their tiff with loud "FINE!"s and walked back to the house.

Fuu and Shiroko took to the kitchen and began to make a stew for dinner. They needed a few more radishes for the stew and Jin went out back to pull a few from the ground. Mugen lounged in the other room on the tatami mats and let his gaze fall out the window. He felt the sun on his face and a strange twinge in his gut. 'No, that ain't hunger.'

Jin walked past and neither said a word to each other nor did they look at each other. Jin was in no mood to fight and Mugen didn't know how else to interact with him.

As Jin dug his slender fingers into the earth and wrestled a radish out of it's hiding spot Mugen's shadow appeared on the ground. Jin did not stop trying to find vegetables in the garden.

"What? Your wife left and now you can't fight? That's pretty lame."

Jin muttered to himself "Where are the damn potato's?" He was ignoring Mugen and wanted him to know he was doing it.

"C'mon! Aren't you angry?" Mugen shouted.

Jin again muttered to himself "I never understood the order in which she planted these things. Carrots here, potato's there, more carrots here…what was she thinking?"

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?" shouted Mugen.

Jin just continued to tend the vegetable garden ignoring Mugen as he dusted off the dirt of what meager produce he could find. Then Mugen drew his sword. Jin just stood and walked back into the house.

* * *

A few hours later Shiroko and Fuu served the stew they prepared to Mugen and Jin. Shiroko ladled out a serving for each. Before Shiroko seated herself Mugen was asking for seconds. Jin was merely pushing the vegetables around in his bowl. He caught Shiroko watching him and forced a few pieces into his mouth. He never ate a lot, but he was taking in only a meager amounts of food that evening.

Fuu was going to inquire, but she thought it better not to say anything lest another shouting match between her and Mugen broke out. Shiroko didn't want to pry into Jin's private feelings. She also knew he was unlikely to tell her anything. Fuu and Shiroko decided to eat slower. This way Jin would be forced to eat more. He pushed down a few more vegetables and drank the broth.

Mugen cleaned out the pot and took what remained in Jin's bowl. The ronin sneered slightly at Mugen's unending appetite. Jin then rose and said "You are all welcome to stay here for as long as you like before you return to your travels. Jin then explained where the extra futons were and where he would be if they required anything further. "Good night. I am going to retire for the evening."

Jin walked into his bedroom and sat on the floor.He tried to begin to get ready for bed, but could not find the motivation to do as much as undress himself. He pulled the top part of his kimono off, but did not undo his hakama. 'I will not rest this evening. I have too many things on my mind.' He turned his gaze on his swords. They were re-forged after his incident with Mugen in Nagasaki. They sat in a stand Shino found for him.

'Shino…' he closed his eyes and saw her face. He could almost feel her touch. He opened his eyes and thought about how he would most likely never see her again. 'They will undoubtedly ask me to go with them.'

He heard Shiroko call to him from beyond his door and said she may enter. Her hair was down, but pulled back and she wore a white sleeping kimono. She wordlessly entered and prepared his bed for him. She did not look at him and did not talk to him, but did what she could to comfort him by helping him with the simple tasks he did not have the drive to complete.

She pulled out a sleeping kimono from the cabinet and placed the folded article next to him. He looked at it out of the corner of his eye and went back to staring at his swords. Shiroko said "I am sorry your wife is gone, Jin. I know there are things around the house here that you may need a woman to teach you. If there is anything else that you need please let me know." She bowed.

He nodded and she went to leave the room. When she got to the screen the sound of his voice stopped her. "She was not my wife" he said. "We never went through with the ceremony. It was never made official."

Shiroko was unsure in how to proceed. She didn't understand why he was telling her this. 'Maybe he just wants to see my reaction? I don't know.' All that came out of her mouth was "Hm." 'There! HA! How does it feel Jin to get a monosyllabic response!'

After she finished giggling to herself in her mind he said "I seem to be exhausted. Please help me dress."

'WHAT?' she thought. Her hands slid down from the door and she said "Yes. Of course."

She did her best to be modest and not steel any extra glances of his fair skin. She couldn't help but notice a few deep scars on his abdomen and wondered if they were always there or if they were recent. She came around in front of him and wrapped the kimono across his chest. She looked at his shoulder instead of up into his eyes or down at his body. She followed the line of his shoulder across to his collarbone and admired his natural lines there. She tied his narrow obi and left.

Jin laid down on the futon Shiroko prepared for him and his mind continued to reel with thoughts. Thoughts about Shino, about his obligations, Fuu and Mugen. He thought about the strange circle of fate that he seemed to be traveling in. His traveling companions arrived today. The same day Shino left. 'Am I to leave? Or do I stay and fulfill my obligations to Shiroko and her family?'

Jin felt the weight of his debts. His debts had to be paid. The debt he owed to Fuu for tending his wounds at Nagasaki. His debt to Mugen for taking care of Fuu all this time.

Apparently after achieving their much awaited goal offinding the sun flower samurai, Mugen and Fuu found themselves together again.Jin had walked his own road, until today.

Then there was Shiroko. Jin thought 'Am I obligated to fulfill what our parents promised each other even after their deaths? I didn't know, but I guess I do now. They were promises forged for the benefit of our family. Neither of us lays claim to our clans anymore. Who am I kidding? We have been sliced away from the bodies of our families, but we can still do them this honor.' He pictured Shiroko stuffing sweet buns into her mouth as a pudgy child and actually let out a grunt of laughter.

Jin shifted on his futon, unable to find a comfortable spot. 'Yet this conflicts with the arrival of Fuu and Mugen. I do not look forward to traveling thirsty, hungry, in danger, and cold. However I did feel alive then. I enjoyed Fuu's company and though his smell was offensive Mugen's constant challenges keep that time lively. I enjoyed it, and I was happy. Life is not this way. Life is not full of joy.'

Jin heard some murmuring come from the next room and watched the lights go out. His room was very dark, but he rolled over and again looked at his swords. 'My swords. They could help me pay my debts. Is this my fate? Live by the sword, die by the sword. Perhaps it is fate that I should die by my own blade.' He spent much of the night staring at the handle of his wakazashi barely glinting in the moonlight.

* * *

A week passed and the group was doing well. Their visit was longer than expected, but by no means unwelcome. Jin did not want an empty house at this time. Not after Shino left. 

One morning Jin woke up and entered the other room. Shiroko was already awake and Jin found her working in the kitchen. She turned and greeted him with a bow and a smile then got back to slicing some vegetables. He did not greet hear back, but said "Shiroko, I need to speak with you. I have made a decision."

Shiroko's arms slowed and she then got back into her rhythm. 'Is he leaving? Is he going after Shino?' "Yes? What is it?"

"I need to pay my debt to you."

She stopped slicing and looked at her hands. 'Is this really happening? Did he just say…Does this mean…?' She turned to look at him, unsure what he meant. She stayed quiet and allowed him to continue with a smile beginning to broaden across her face.

Jin said solemnly "I owe it to my parents to fulfill this promise. They made a pact the traditional way through a nakodo. It is our duty to fulfill their wish."

Shiroko's smile faded when she heard Jin speak of honor and duty, but not affection. "I saw a shrine south of town. I will go with Fuu to ask if a priest may perform the ceremony."

Jin nodded his head and said "Go today. We will get this over with." Then he left the kitchen, picked up his katana, and went outside to practice.

Shiroko knew he did not want this. She felt regret seep into her gut. 'I've always wanted to be with him, but not this way. No, not like this.' Fuu yawned and stretched as she entered the kitchen. She saw Shiroko looking sick and inquired after her. She told Fuu that Jin had proposed and then how he proposed.

Fuu was worried. She did not see this ending well.


	9. Chapter 9

The wedding was small, only the small group and the priest were present to witness their union.

Their wedding night was pleasing in a strange and awkward way. Shiroko wore her nightwear and waited on his futon. Her hair was down and cascaded onto the blanket.

Jin entered the room and saw her waiting for him. 'Shiroko's hair is so long, maybe longer than I remember.'

Jin disrobed and Shiroko sat awkwardly unsure of how to act. 'I don't want to remind him of my time in the brothel, but I do wish to please him. Holy spirits! He's naked.'

He slid under the blanket of the futon and pulled the strings out of his hair. Shiroko looked away from him and bit her lip. 'If he wants me then he'll touch me, if not then…'

"Shiroko?" 'I recall how Shino felt after the brothel. Being touched was...not always pleasant for her. I doubt it is any different for Shiroko.'

"Yes?" she said, peering back at him with wide eyes. She couldn't help but smile, and she felt her face get red. 'Oh no! I'm blushing! He looks so amazing with his hair down and I just want to run my fingers through it!'

"If you don't feel comfortable I will understand."

Shiroko said. "Can I comb your hair?"

Jin was a bit thrown by this, but he said "Alright." It made her happy. Really happy. She got up and ran to her wooden box, laid near the wall. She pulled out a tortoise shell comb and was absolutely bubbly. She asked him to sit up and he did, pulling the blanket up over his lap. She sat behind him gently pulling the comb through his inky black tresses.

Jin was a little unsure of this, but he enjoyed it. He found it relaxing and even comforting. He missed Shino's quiet voice and her sad smile. As he thought of Shino he found that Shiroko seemed almost alien to him. He had known Shiroko longer, but he still felt she was a stranger in comparison.

Shiroko slowed the comb and felt the opposite. She put down the comb and stroked his head and shoulders. She leaned in closer and giggled. She was feeling playful. She noticed a concerned look in his eye before he blinked back to the present. She lay on her elbow next to him and they spoke.

Jin's legs shifted into a crossed-leg position under the blanket. He leaned forward on his elbows and looked at his new wife. She was dreamy eyed and couldn't help but shower him with compliments. Jin was not oblivious to how her nightwear was looser than before. Just one tug with his finger could pull that obi open. Her skin was teasing him from behind the white cloth.

He looked out the window as she spoke about Fuu and Muben's behavior at their wedding. She nudged him with her knee when she realized he wasn't listening. He looked back at her and instead of her gleeful eyes he saw a look of concern. She said "Jin, if this is too soon, I will understand. It's only been a week since she left."

He looked away and said "It was longer than this week that we were apart. Our relationship" his hair shimmered as he cocked his head up, searching for the right words. "was not what we thought it would be. Our dreams changed a while ago and our ideals parted along the way."

She sat up and observed the folds in the blanket. She said "Still, if you need time—" she stopped speaking when she felt his hand on her cheek. She looked up into his eyes and their eyes met. She was very aware now of how much skin she was showing. 'I don't get him at all! What is going on inside that head of his?'

"I have had all the time I need." Then he kissed her. Their passions kept them warm that evening, but the next day they were cold again. They would pillow intermittently, and certainly not always with that same amount of zeal. Shiroko felt she was simply doing a wifely duty at times. Jin may have gotten past losing Shino, but Shiroko was beginning to realize that this did not automatically make Shiroko the center of his affections.

* * *

Jin and Shirokowere both convinced this was a marriage not based on love, but on honor and respect. This did not stop Shiroko from trying her best to please him and to spark warmth and joy in his heart.

She was a dutiful wife and obeyed him without question. It wasn't difficult since he rarely gave her any commands. She got up early to prepare his breakfast and always made sure his supper was prepared when he came home from a job or a hunt.

She kept their house amazingly clean and spent hours dusting, beating the mats, and washing the kitchen. She prepared his bath often and made sure it was heated to his liking. She did whatever she could to make his days pleasant and his nights interesting.

Fuu and Mugen were still around helping out and earning their keep. Jin did not tend any fields, but the vegetable garden provided what they needed and there was plenty of fresh game to hunt in the fields. Mugen went into town occasionally and came back with some money to pay for odds and ends. No one questioned how he got the money and were sure they were somehow ill-gotten.

Shiroko would catch Jin chatting with Fuu about their adventures and wondering about what happened to the people they met along the way. Shiroko could tell from the look in Jin's eyes that he yearned for the freedom of traveling again, but he never spoke his desire out-loud. She could only guess from the wistful look in his eyes.

During a warm afternoon the group started to discuss what they wanted for their evening meal. Shiroko wanted to make special plum desserts. She asked Mugen if he could help pick some from the tree since he was taller than she. Jin watched the two walk out to the tree in the back of the house. Fuu said she joined Jin to watch them, but it was really so she could talk to him. "Jin?" she asked kind of absently as she looked at the orange glow of the sun setting.

"Hm?" he responded, keeping a sharp eye on Mugen with his wife.

"Don't you think you're lucky?" she said.

Jin took his eyes away from the criminal and his betrothed and looked at Fuu. He didn't say anything, but it was a signal he wanted to know more.

Fuu continued "You got a second chance."

"What do you mean?" he asked again.

As Fuu and Jin continued their serious conversation they were unaware of Shiroko's and Mugen's attempts at finding ripe fruit. Mugen hacked off a limb of the tree with his sword to get some ripe looking plumbs. When he didn't find any he just dropped it, unripe plumbs and all, on the ground. Fuu thought it best to ignore that and look at Jin.

Fuu said "Well, she knew you before you were _you_ for cryin' out loud! Back when you were a kid and others took care of you and stuff. You can revisit that comfort with her."

Shiroko's bugging eyes expressed her fury with Mugen, but she calmed herself down and tried to explain to him how to tell if a plum was ripe for the picking or not in none too subtle language. She went back to checking on the delicate looking tree.

"Why would I do a foolish thing like that?" Jin asked.

Mugen tried Shiroko's way, but soon got frustrated with it and pulled out his sword again. Shiroko began to poke his chest with her finger and tried to emphasize the importance of not cutting off each of the limbs.

"Because it feels good, dummy!" said Fuu.

Mugen was not getting the point.

Jin said "Life is not about feeling good, Fuu. It's rare that we can feel such simple joys."

Shiroko grabbed Mugen's wrist and twisted it behind his back.

"That's why when you **do** feel good you should savor it and enjoy it! So when your remember it it's as vivid as yesterday! You don't have to work as hard since you're married to a living memory, who you can make more with!"

Jin considered her words as he examined the calluses on his hands. "Mmn" he said.

"I think it's great you're married to her now. She really loves you for you. Not because you've got those swords, or because you're really handsome, or because you're a man with a nice house. She loves you for you!"

"Mm" was all he said. He was still looking at his hands.

"Mm?" Fuu was getting frustrated. "Jin," She asked very delicately "do you love her?" He looked up at her and her rather brash question. When he didn't answer she said "She's such a good wife, and we never see you being affectionate, I was just wondering…"

"That is really none of your concern" he said hoping to end their little chat.

"Heck yeah it is!" Fuu snapped at him. "You're both my friends and I'm concerned about your happiness!"

Mugen yelled out from the pain of having his arm pinned behind him and Shiroko kneed him in the back. They fell to the ground under the tall grass.

Fuu and Jin's conversation came to a halt when they heard Shiroko yell out "YEAH? OH YEAH? PIGGY, HUH?"

"YEAH? AAAH!" screamed Mugen, obviously in pain. He couldn't strike her back since Jin would not hesitate in gaining vengeance. Mugen knew he couldn't take them both on.

"YEAH! I MAY BE A PIGGY, BUT YOU'RE A WORM! YOU KNOW WHAT WORMS EAT?" Jin and Fuu rushed down to the tree and saw Shiroko perched, as politely as she could be, on Mugen's back smashing is face in the dirt. "DIRT!"

"Grrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaah!" yelled Mugen "CRAZY PSYCHO-BITCH GET OFF!"

"WORMS EAT DIRT! GO ON MUGEN EAT IT! EEEEEEEEAAAAAAAT!"

Jin diffused the situation and allowed Mugen the first bath after dinner.

That evening Jin came to Shiroko's bedside to pillow. Afterwards Jin rose to return to his own room. "I'm sorry, Jin. I know that you will never love me and that your mind will always be on the road. You are a traveler at heart and desire to begin your journey again. I want you to be happy, and release you from your obligation to this marriage."

She bowed deeply and Jin said "It is not you who has bestowed this upon me. You cannot release me from this, nor do you need to worry about it." He did not seem bitter about it but Shiroko couldn't help but feel like she was a ball and chain on his leg.

The next day came and Fuu and Mugen decided to move on. They told Jin they were going to Nagasaki. "Why Nagasak?" asked Jin.

"Why not?" said Fuu in response.

'Ah yes, they are free to go where they please when they please' thought Jin. 'They have no obligations, but I have fulfilled mine.' The thought brought Jin some mild contentment. 'I am _free_ to stay here.'

Fuu and Mugen said their goodbyes to Shiroko and thanked her for all the hospitality. Jin then left with Fuu and Mugen. He would walk them a certain distance down the road then return to his home.

Shiroko watched them walk down the dirt path towards the main road. Fuu turned around and Shiroko waved with a big smile. Fuu stopped intuitively feeling something dreadful was about to happen. She wasn't sure what, but she felt it in her bones. A worried look crossed her face.

Jin noticed the look and cocked a questioning eyebrow at her. She said "Oh…it's nothing" and returned to the path ahead of her.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks to all of you we have made it to the final chapter! Your loyal reviews really made my day! It's what keeps me writing! I will be sure to go and read more of **your** work once I get some time. I've started a new job and I'm just exhausted. This last chapter was always a problem. This is ending #4. I'm not quite happy with it. I like the last few lines, but other than that it's a big wild mess. I don't like how I wrote Jin. I found it difficult to imagine how he would react in moments like these. Well, I'm sure you'll let me know what you think. Without further adieu here's the finale!

* * *

When Shiroko was sure they were out of sight she went to her room. She unpacked one of her knives that had been sharpened recently. She tested its blade by slicing her finger. Shiroko wrote a letter to her husband. When she finished she found some twine and clad herself in white. She brought a small table in front of her and tied her ankles together with the twine. 

Jigai. Ritural suicide for women of the samurai class. She took a deep breath and placed herself in front of her chosen weapon. Shiroko closed her eyes and visualized plunging the dagger into her throat and slicing across. 'It is the least I can do. This way both of our debts will be paid. He will be free. I will be free.'

She closed her eyes listening to the wind chime, thinking of Jin and his shame, feeling pride for what she could offer, but sadness that this was necessary. She wished that life was not this cruel, for anyone. She was determined to give Jin joy.

* * *

Jin said his farewell to his friends and waved good bye. He returned to his home and found Shiroko slumped over the short table. Fresh blood splattered on the floor. White, red, shock. He looked away sharply and saw a letter placed on another small table. 'I never want to read another letter again' he thought. 

He opened the seal. It read:

_Most Honorable Husband,_

_I'm sorry to leave you without a wife, Jin-san, but I know you understand what I have done. It is for you. I have released you from your obligation. All of your obligations. I give my life up to pay your debts. Feel free, Jin, to follow your heart and live the life you love for we are now both free. Leave me here and follow your friends._

_Shiroko_

Jin slumped to the ground, but his face was still an unreadable mask. He noticed there was not as much blood as there should have been. He wondered if the blade she used was still stuck in her throat.

He closed his eyes and saw her as a child. He saw her pouty face and hopeful eyes.

His breath came heavily, he was holding something back. He took another deep breath. He didn't have enough air. He swallowed. 'Shiroko.'

In his mind the picture of her smile when they were reunited as waitress and patron came just as quickly as the image of her smile serving him breakfast.

'She was always smiling, searching for my approval…' His eyes shot open and he stood. With renewed strength he realized he was the only one around to clean up the body. His friends were not too far. 'I have left you too many times before, Shiroko. I will build a pyre for you then catch up with Fuu and Mugen. I know where they are headed.'

He swallowed and looked at her form slumped over the table. He took a few steps and kneeled down next to her. He patted the back of her head. Her hair was shiny and silky. He leaned over to smell her hair then gripped her shoulders hoping her eyes were closed.

He gingerly lifted her shoulders back drawing her away from the table. 'There certainly isn't as much blood—' Before he could finish his thought he saw a large gash on her hand, but not on her throat. Her head lolled back into his shoulder and she grunted.

Shiroko cracked open her eyes and blinked groggily. "Whaa?" she said.

"I don't know. You tell me" said Jin sternly.

"I remember, ow, my head!" she exclaimed and then brought up her gashed hand and flinched at the sight of it. Jin pulled out a cloth and placed it on her wound. She looked away. "I am so embarrassed. I couldn't even do this right for you. I was bringing the blade to my throat when a cat jumped in the window. It made me flinch and I cut my hand. I was so upset by the suddenness of it all and the sight of my own blood, I guess I must have fainted. I can't believe how weak I am."

"You are not weak. You were prepared to sacrifice yourself for both our sakes."

"I still am" she said pushing away from him. She took her seat in front of the table again and looked around for the knife.

Jin stood and held the knife in his hand. "This isn't a proper jigai dagger."

Shiroko saw him handling it and asked "Jin, please hand it to me."

"No" he said simply, wiping off the blade.

"Why not?" she asked with confusion.

"I am honored by your attempt today, but we were both given opportunities to pay our debts. Suicide is unnecessary."

"But if I do this you can return to—"

"Do not assume you know what I want. I want to stay here, for now at least."

Shiroko's eyes went wide and she struggled to keep her emotions under control. "Yes, Jin." He kneeled down next to her and reached for her hand.

"I am your husband, and thus your lord. Now, let me tend to the wound in your hand."

"But Fuu and Mugen?"

"If fate so decrees I will meet with them again. I think history has proved this much is true."

* * *

Jin sat, straight backed as always,at the table while Shiroko set their dishes down. She poured some stew into his bowel and poured him some hot tea. He watched her gingerly place the bowl in front of him and enjoyed her smooth movements. He thought about Fuu's words to him earlier that week. 'How do I tell Shiroko how I feel? How do I let her know?' "You look very pretty this evening." 

Shiroko was taken by surprise and smiled. "Thank you. I'm glad a handsome man like you feels that way."

_'She really loves you for you…not_ _because you're really handsome..._ So I guess it doesn't truly matter if I think she's pretty either. It doesn't convey my meaning.' A few quiet moments passed and Jin decided to try to express himself again. "The house is very clean. I am very pleased with your efforts, Shiroko."

'Okay, what's going on with him?' was her first thought. "Thank you, Jin. This is such a lovely house you have, it would be a shame to let it fall into any kind of decline."

Jin mentally sighed and heard Fuu's words again _'…or because you're a man with a nice house! She loves you for you!_' "Shiroko"

She looked up from her bowl and rice. Jin was feeling frustrated with her that she didn't know his feelings, but he was unsure of how to say how he felt. "You're a good wife."

"Hm." she said "Thank you. You are...a good husband." 'What is he getting at?'

Jin blew air upwards and caused a few wayward strands of his to shift. He stood up and came to kneel down next to her. He looked deeply into her eyes and said "Piggy I'm trying to tell you something."

'Okay, really, what is going on?' Shiroko looked worried and put down her chopsticks and bowl. She turned to face him and asked "Yes, Jin? What is it?"

"Shino was a better cook, this dinner is awful. She, unlike you, knew how to get the grit out of the mats. You don't seem to do anything as well as her in those respects."

Shiroko's heart nearly burst. She was ready to just let go of her control and let her tears come. 'I bet Shino would know how to control herself. Bitch! Is there anything she left for me to be better at?'

"But still, she did not make me happy. She did not make me feel the way you do and did not understand what I needed like you do. You do not know this, but part of the reason I fled the dojo was because I was searching."

"Searching?" asked Shiroko, her voice quivering and confused.

"Yes. I wasn't sure what for, but I thought I found it on my travels. I thought she could give me all that I wanted."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked cautiously.

"Because it wasn't her. She gave me all those things. Fine meals, a clean house, but that wasn't what I was looking for."

Shiroko was utterly baffled and asked "What were you looking for?"

"You, I left _you_ behind. Even after I saw Yukimaru, and heard news about Mariko, I was not satisfied. I needed what only you could give me."

Shiroko was beginning to feel a bit of excitement and Jin saw a spark light in her eyes. "Me?"

"Yes. You'll have to thank Fuu for that. She helped me see that only I can share my true happiness with you."

"_True_ happiness? I don't understand" confusion swept her face again.

"I looked back and thought of what happy moments I had. The ones where I was smiling, and light. It was in my early childhood and you were always there."

Shiroko laughed. "Yes, because you were always making fun of me and torturing me with Yukimaru!" She continued to laugh, but secretly wanted to cry.

"I know. I was a snot nosed brat, Piggy. But I was a happy snot nosed brat" he said.

She came back with "So your happiest when torturing me?" Jin's face contorted into a rarely seen smile and Shiroko returned it with one of her own.

She giggled and turned back to her rice bowl. Jin said "No, you help me live that effortless joy again. I love you."

She looked up at him with a bit of shock. He was back to his serious self, and feeling he had done and said what he wanted, then took his seat back on the other side of the small table. He picked up his bowl of stew and bravely downed another bite. "I love you too" she said.

He looked up with a full mouth and while slowly chewing the burnt flavored stew nodded an acknowledgement.

"No, Jin, I mean it. I love you too much to make you eat this crap. Maybe we should skip right to desert, hm?"

Jin began to eat his rice and nodded in agreement. "Mm."

THE END


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue

Mugen and Fuu made it back to Nagasaki leaving a trail of red-faced and angry inn keepers along the way. They'd skip out in the middle of the night so they didn't have to pay for their stay.

Once they arrived in Nagasaki Fuu found a job as a helper in a shop and Mugen continued to be Mugen. He would be lazy and eat. While he picked his teeth Fuu would recount the tales of how she ran herself ragged at her new job. He would go out and do what Mugen did second best and earn some money. The best thing he did was get in trouble, yet it was not as profitable.

Shiroko and Jin lived quite happily on their property and lived simple and modest lives away from the prying eyes of the town. They were a striking couple and all eyes would follow them whenever they entered town. They were the mysterious samurai and his beautiful, albeit well fed, wife.

Mugen, Jin, Fuu, and Shiroko's paths would again cross one day. It was fate.

* * *

A/N There we go. Epilogue by request. I wanted to leave it open for a sequel if anyone requested one. I usually write epilogues, but this time I thought the story was well resolved and didn't really require one. But my wonderful and faithful reviewer WindoX wanted one. I grant the thy wish.


End file.
